FIELD: chemical or physical processes.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of producing an alkenyl aromatic compound, comprising a step of contacting a hydrocarbon stream containing an alkyl aromatic compound with steam in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst suitable for dehydrogenating said alkyl aromatic compound, in one or more series reactors, in which the weight ratio of water vapor and hydrocarbon (water/hydrocarbon ratio) is from 0.4 to 1.5, in which the dehydrogenation catalyst includes three or more teeth and a housing, so that the cross-section of the dehydrogenation catalyst has the shape of a gear wheel, and in which the dehydrogenation catalyst contains, based on the total weight of the components of said dehydrogenation catalyst in form of oxides, from 30 to 90 weight percent (wt.%) of iron based on Fe2O3, from 1 to 50 wt.% of potassium per K2O, from 1 to 50 wt.% of cerium based on CeO2, and from 0.01 to 1 wt.% of yttrium based on Y2O3. Invention also relates to a dehydrogenation catalyst and a method for synthesis of the catalyst.
EFFECT: method provides less migration of alkali metal and enables operation at low W/H ratio.
12 cl, 6 dwg, 1 ex, 1 tbl
