Catalyst and method for the production of 1-olefins from 2-hydroxylkanes

1. A catalyst comprising zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ), yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) and at least one oxide selected from among alkali metal oxides and alkaline earth metal oxides and in which the proportion of zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) is from 80 to 99 parts by mass, the proportion by mass of yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) is from 0.5 to 10 parts by mass and the proportion of alkaline earth metal oxide and/or alkali metal oxide is from 0.1 to 3 parts by mass.

2. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the proportion of zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) is from 90 to 98 parts by mass, the proportion by mass of yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) is from 1.5 to 8 parts by mass and the proportion of alkaline earth metal oxide and/or alkali metal oxide is from 0.5 to 2 parts by mass.

3. The catalyst as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the proportion of zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) is from 93 to 96 parts by mass, the proportion by mass of yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) is from 3.5 to 6 parts by mass and the proportion of alkaline earth metal oxide and/or alkali metal oxide is from 0.5 to 1 part by mass.

4. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises an alkali metal oxide selected from among potassium oxide and sodium oxide.

5. The catalyst as claimed in claim 1 , which is in the form of granules, tablets, cylinders, rings or extrudates.

6. A process for preparing 1-olefins by catalytic dehydration (elimination of water) of alcohols at a temperature from 200 to 450° C., in which a catalyst as claimed in claim 1 is used as catalyst and at least one secondary 2-alcohol or a mixture thereof is used as alcohol.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein at least one alcohol having from 3 to 27 carbon atoms is used.

8. The process as claimed in claim 7 , wherein 2-hydroxyoctane is used as alcohol.

9. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a mixture comprising further alcohols and/or hydrocarbons and also, if desired, a diluent is used.

10. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the dehydration is carried out in the gas phase or the mixed liquid/gas phase.

11. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein ketones are separated off and hydrogenated from the mixture obtained in the dehydration and the alcohols obtained are recirculated to the dehydration.

12. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the reaction product mixture from the catalytic dehydration is separated into an olefin fraction, an alcohol-containing fraction and one or more fractions comprising by-products, and wherein the olefin fraction comprises from 96 to greater than 98% of 1-olefins.

13. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the catalytic dehydration of alcohols is at a temperature from 280 to 380° C.

14. The process as claimed in claim 7 , wherein at least one alcohol having from 5 to 27 carbon atoms is used.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14 , wherein at least one alcohol having from 6 to 16 carbon atoms is used.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein at least one alcohol having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms is used.

17. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the dehydration is carried out under a pressure from 0.1 to 25 bar.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the pressure under which the dehydration is carried out is from 0.2 to 10 bar.

19. The process as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the pressure under which the dehydration is carried out is from 1 to 5 bar.

20. The process as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a composition is obtained; said composition comprising greater than 90% by mass of 1-octene.