CONVERSION OF 2, 3-BUTANEDIOL TO BUTADIENE

A composition comprising 2, 3-butanediol is dehydrated to methyl vinyl carbinol and/or 1, 3-butadiene by exposure to a catalyst comprising (a) MxOy wherein M is a rare earth metal, a group IIIA metal, Zr, or a combination thereof, and x and y are based upon an oxidation state of M, or (b) M3a(PO4)b where M3 is a group IA, a group IIA metal, a group IIIA metal, or a combination thereof, and a and b are based upon the oxidation state of M3. Embodiments of the catalyst comprising MxOy may further include M2, wherein M2 is a rare earth metal, a group IIA metal, Zr, Al, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, 2, 3-butanediol is dehydrated to methyl vinyl carbinol and/or 1, 3-butadiene by a catalyst comprising MxOy, and the methyl vinyl carbinol is subsequently dehydrated to 1, 3-butadiene by exposure to a solid acid catalyst.