Patent ID: 8809609

Claim:
A method for dehydrogenation of an alkyl aromatic compound, comprising the steps of: mixing a first gas comprising hydrogen, steam, and the alkyl aromatic compound with a second gas comprising oxygen to form a gas mixture, wherein at least some of said hydrogen is oxidized and carbon dioxide is produced; and contacting said gas mixture with a reaction gas comprising a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce an alkenyl aromatic compound, wherein said reaction gas comprises steam and carbon dioxide, said carbon dioxide being present in a molar ratio from about 0.015 to about 0.20 based on all aromatic molecules in the reaction, and wherein said dehydrogenation catalyst comprises from about 30 to about 86 wt. % of an iron compound calculated as Fe 2 O 3 , from about 1 to about 50 wt. % of an alkali metal calculated as an alkali metal oxide, and about 13 to about 60 wt. % of a rare earth element calculated as an oxide, wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the catalyst.