Efficient, continuous oxidation of durene to pyromellitic dianhydride mediated by a V-Ti-P ternary catalyst: The remarkable doping effect

Continuous preparation of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) from durene has been studied using a fixed-bed reactor. The reaction was performed using a phosphorus-vanadium-titanium ternary catalyst. Relatively high selectivity and yield of PMDA was obtained. The in-situ characterization was combined with theoretical calculation to reveal the reaction mechanisms, and the remarkable doping effect was discussed.