Conversion of alkylbenzenes over zeolite catalysts. I. Dealkylation and disproportionation of ethylbenzene over mordenites

✍ Scribed by H.G. Karge; J. Ladebeck; Z. Sarbak; K. Hatada

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 984 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0144-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/s0144-2449(82)80008-0

✦ Synopsis

Various mordenites, viz. the hydrogen, sodium, alkaline earth and lanthanum forms, have been used as catalysts for the conversion of ethylbenzene in a micro-reactor. High reaction temperatures (~> 573 K) were required for cation exchanged non-dealuminated mordenites to overcome mass transfer limitations. This resulted in simultaneous transalkylation and dealkylation, the latter causing significant deactivation. Only transalkylation to diethylbenzenes occurred over dealuminated mordenites at lower temperatures (373-473 K), practically without catalyst fouling. The rate decreased with increasing size of the alkaline earth ions and was governed by the number of Br~nsted acid sites determined by infrared spectroscopy. Thus, transalkylation of ethylbenzene was found to be a suitable test reaction for measuring the Br~nsted acidity of zeolites.