Phosphomolybdic heteropolycompounds as oxidation catalysts. Effect of transition metals as counter-ions

Phosphomolybdic compounds were first described as active catalysts in heterogeneous catalytic reactions some twenty-five years ago. Research on these catalysts underwent a huge acceleration when an industrial application in the oxidation of methacrolein to methacrylic acid was reported. They were later developed with success as catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutyric acid into methacrylic acid for which they surpass in many aspects the FePO catalysts. More recently phosphomolybdic catalysts were shown to be very efficient for the oxidation of light alkanes. The structure of these ionic solids with discrete cations and anions can be defined at the molecular level of the heteropolyanion 〚PMo₁₂O₄₀〛^3–, this feature makes them attractive for fundamental studies on catalytic reaction mechanism or catalytic site visualization. In the latter case they represent a unique model of a mixed oxide cluster that can be advantageously used to design new catalysts. Starting from the acid H₃〚PMo₁₂O₄₀〛 two substitution types leading to important modifications of the catalytic properties are possible: (i) the substitution of protons with counter-cations, (ii) the substitution of molybdenum in the anions. This review addresses the effect of transition metals substituting protons on both catalytic and physicochemical properties. It will focus on the influence of iron, copper and vanadyl directly introduced as counter-cations and that of vanadium initially substituting molybdenum in the anion but which moves out due to a partial rebuilding of the anions under catalytic reaction conditions. These transition metals have important and complex effects and have been widely studied. In both cases alkaline metals substituting protons have been also studied.