Provided in this disclosure are oxidative dehydrogenation catalysts that include a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula:

Mo.sub.1.0V.sub.0.12-0.49Te.sub.0.05-0.17Nb.sub.0.10-0.20O.sub.d

wherein d is a number to satisfy the valence of the oxide. The oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst is characterized by having XRD diffraction peaks (2 degrees) at 220.2, 270.2, 28.00.2, and 28.30.1. The disclosure also provides methods of making the catalysts that include wet ball milling.

Provided in this disclosure are catalyst compositions. The catalyst compositions include an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst that includes a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula:

Mo.sub.1.0V.sub.0.12-0.49Te.sub.0.05-0.17Nb.sub.0.10-0.20Al.sub.cO.sub.d

wherein c is from 0 to 2.0 and d is a number to satisfy the valence of the oxide. The compositions are at least 40 wt. % amorphous as measured by XRD. The disclosure also provides methods of making the compositions.

A catalyst, useful for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising molybdenum, vanadium, tellurium, tantalum, and oxygen, prepared using a stage hydrothermal synthesis procedure, is provided. The catalyst comprises from 30 to 50 wt. % amorphous content and may be combined with a support/carrier material to form a catalyst material. The described catalysts and catalyst materials demonstrate high selectivity for ethylene at higher temperatures, show little to no decline in conversion and selectivity over time, and do not appear to be sensitive to low residual oxygen concentrations.

A method for preparing a mixed-metal oxide catalyst comprising molybdenum, vanadium, at least one of niobium or tantalum, and at least one of tellurium or antimony and useful for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the method comprising preparing a catalyst precursor, pressing the precursor into a dense pellet using a pressure of greater than about 5,000 psi, and annealing the pellet to form the mixed-metal oxide catalyst.

A catalyst material includes molybdenum (Mo): vanadium (V). the molar ratio of Mo:V being between 1:0.12 and 1:0.49; tellurium (Te), the molar ratio of Mo:Te being between 1:0.01 and 1:0.30; niobium (Nb), the molar ratio of Mo:Nb being between 1:0.01 and 1:0.30; and beryllium (Be), the molar ratio of Mo:Be being from 1:1 to 1:50.

A process for preparing an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst or oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst precursor that includes mixing solutions of molybdenum and tellurium at a pH from about 3.3 to 7.5; adjusting the pH of the resulting solution back to about 5 and adding VOSO.sub.4 and adding a solution of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and oxalic acid and treating the resulting precursor slurry in a controlled pressure hydrothermal process to obtain the catalyst.

Oxidative dehydrogenation is an alternative to the energy extensive steam cracking process presently used for the production of olefins from paraffins. Various embodiments of an oxidative dehydrogenation chemical complex designed to allow removal of sulfur containing contaminants that collect in the gas mixer unit and in the feed lines leading to the ODH reactor are disclosed herein.

Provided in this disclosure are catalyst compositions. The catalyst compositions include an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst that includes a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula:
Mo.sub.1.0V.sub.0.12-0.49Te.sub.0.05-0.17Nb.sub.0.10-0.20Al.sub.cO.sub.d
wherein c is from 0 to 2.0 and d is a number to satisfy the valence of the oxide. The compositions are at least 40 wt. % amorphous as measured by XRD. The disclosure also provides methods of making the compositions.

A feed stream including ethane is flowed to a purification unit that includes a first oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst. The feed stream is contacted with the first oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst at a first temperature to reduce a concentration of impurities in the feed stream to produce a purified feed stream. The purified feed stream is flowed to an oxidative dehydrogenation unit that includes a second oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst. The purified feed stream is contacted with the second oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst in the presence of oxygen at a second temperature greater than the first temperature to dehydrogenate ethane to produce a product stream that includes ethylene.

A catalyst, useful for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising molybdenum, vanadium, tellurium, tantalum, and oxygen, prepared using a stage hydrothermal synthesis procedure, is provided. The catalyst comprises from 30 to 50 wt. % amorphous content and may be combined with a support/carrier material to form a catalyst material. The described catalysts and catalyst materials demonstrate high selectivity for ethylene at higher temperatures, show little to no decline in conversion and selectivity over time, and do not appear to be sensitive to low residual oxygen concentrations.