Catalysis Letters, Vol.31, No.2-3, 197-207, 1995
Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Iminodibenzyl to Iminostilbene - A Comparison of Potassium-Promoted Manganese, Iron and Cobalt Oxide Catalysts
The dehydrogenation of iminodibenzyl (10,11-dihydro-5-dibenz[b.f]azepine) to iminostilbene (5H-dibenz[b.f]azepine) was investigated over potassium-promoted oxides of manganese, iron and cobalt. Both unsupported oxides as well as corresponding oxides supported on magnesium oxide were examined. Catalytic tests were carried out in a continuous fixed-bed reactor in the presence of steam in the temperature range of 400-550 degrees C and at atmospheric pressure. Unsupported, potassium-promoted iron oxide proved to be the most suitable catalyst for the dehydrogenation of iminodibenzyl, yielding iminostilbene with 80% selectivity at nearly 100% conversion.