Oxidative and Nonoxidative Routes to Alkane Dehydrogenation

Abstract

The dehydrogenation of alkanes offers potentially attractive routes for more effective utilization of relatively low‐value feedstocks as well as functionalization of more complex molecules. While such transformations are currently carried out primarily as heterogeneously catalyzed nonoxidative processes, other catalytic modes – heterogeneous oxidative, homogeneous nonoxidative, or homogeneous oxidative – are also under investigation. This chapter compares and contrasts these various approaches, including consideration of their relative advantages and disadvantages.