Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of Nd2O3 supported V2O5 catalysts

Rare-earth neodymia supported Nd-V-O catalysts synthesized by wet impregnation method reveals the presence of two kinds of vanadia species on the support surfaces-one as highly dispersed species at lower loadings (<9%) and the other as an orthovanadate species at higher loadings, where the former exhibits promising catalytic behaviour in the liquid phase hydroxylation reaction of phenol.