US Patent 7164053 Process for the production of olefins

Process for the production of an olefin from a hydrocarbon, which process comprises contacting the hydrocarbon and a molecular oxygen-containing gas with a catalyst under auto-thermal conditions sufficient to produce the olefin. The catalyst comprises a component (a) and a component (b), wherein component (a) is at least one metal selected from Group IIIA, Group IVA, Group VA and the transition metals and component (b) is at least one transition metal. The catalyst does not comprise either palladium or platinum.