Patent ID: 8222461

Claim:
A process for preparing unsaturated aldehydes, with or without acids, by catalytically oxidizing alkanes with air or oxygen, optionally in the presence of inert gases, steam or offgases from the reaction at elevated temperatures to give the unsaturated aldehydes with a selectivity of at least 32 percent, which comprises contacting a reaction gas mixture containing the alkanes and the oxygen in a ratio of 1:0.5-5 with a catalyst of the formula (Mo 1 A a B b C c D d E e F f G g )O x (I) in which: A: bismuth, B: at least one of the elements comprising nickel and/or cobalt, C: at least one of the elements comprising Fe, Ce, Mn, Cr, V, D: at least one of the elements comprising W, P, E: at least one of the elements comprising Li, K, Na, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, F: at least one of the elements comprising Zn, Nb, Se, Te, Sm, Gd, La, Y, Pd, Pt, Ru, Ag, Au, G: at least one of the elements comprising Si, Al, Ti, Zr and a=0-1 b=0-1 c=0.001-1 d=0.01-2 e=0.001-1 f=0.01-1.5 g=0-800, x=number which is determined by the valency and frequency of the elements other than oxygen.