Patent ID: 7074956

Claim:
A process for producing an unsaturated carboxylic acid which comprises subjecting an alkane, or a mixture of an alkane and an alkene, to a vapor phase catalytic oxidation reaction in the presence of a catalyst comprising a mixed metal oxide having the empirical formula Mo a V b M c X d O e wherein M is an element selected from the group consisting of Te, Sb and Nb, wherein X is an element selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Re, Ir, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Ga, Si, Ge, As, Pb, S, Se, Sn, Bi, F, Cl, Br and I, and wherein, when a=1, b=0.01 to 1.0, c=0.01 to 1.0, d=0 to 1 and e is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements; with the proviso that, when d=0, M is selected from the group consisting of Nb and Te, and with the further proviso that, when d=0 and M=Te, 0.01â‰¦b<0.50 or 0.17<câ‰¦1.0.