Alkylation and transalkylation of alkylbenzenes in cymene production over zeolite catalysts

T. Odedairo; S. Al-Khattaf

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2010.12.043

Alkylation and transalkylation of alkylbenzenes in cymene production over zeolite catalysts

T. Odedairo
, S. Al-Khattaf^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Gas-phase alkylation of toluene with isopropanol and its transalkylation with cumene were investigated at 200, 250, 275 and 300°C with contact time ranging from 5 to 20s. These reactions were carried out in a fluidized-bed reactor under atmospheric conditions over USY zeolite and a dual-zeolite based catalyst (DZ) comprising mordenite and ZSM-5. In toluene isopropylation, USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst showed comparable cymene yield, but the maximum cymene yield over DZ catalyst was obtained at a much lower temperature. Cymene selectivity over USY catalyst increased with increasing feed mole ratio (toluene: isopropanol) from 1:1 to 3:1, while the highest toluene conversion was obtained at optimum equimolar ratio of toluene to isopropanol. The dual-zeolite based catalyst was found to possess the highest conversion in cumene-toluene transalkylation as well as a higher cymene selectivity compared with USY catalyst. Significant cymene yields were noticed in the alkylation of cumene with methanol over USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst. The apparent activation energy of toluene isopropylation (E₂) was found to be higher than the value for cymene isopropylation (E₃).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	240-254
Number of pages	15
Journal	Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume	167
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2010.12.043
State	Published - 15 Feb 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by King AbdulAziz City for Science and Technology for this research under the Refining & Petrochemicals Program of the National Science and Technology Plan (NSTP) for the year 2009 (09-PETE86-4). We are grateful for the support from Ministry of Higher Education, Saudi Arabia for the establishment of the Centre of Research Excellence in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). Mr. Mariano Gica also is acknowledged for his help during the experimental work.

Keywords

Alkylation
Cymenes
Dual catalyst
Kinetic modeling
Transalkylation
USY

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry
General Chemical Engineering
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

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10.1016/j.cej.2010.12.043

Cite this

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title = "Alkylation and transalkylation of alkylbenzenes in cymene production over zeolite catalysts",

abstract = "Gas-phase alkylation of toluene with isopropanol and its transalkylation with cumene were investigated at 200, 250, 275 and 300°C with contact time ranging from 5 to 20s. These reactions were carried out in a fluidized-bed reactor under atmospheric conditions over USY zeolite and a dual-zeolite based catalyst (DZ) comprising mordenite and ZSM-5. In toluene isopropylation, USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst showed comparable cymene yield, but the maximum cymene yield over DZ catalyst was obtained at a much lower temperature. Cymene selectivity over USY catalyst increased with increasing feed mole ratio (toluene: isopropanol) from 1:1 to 3:1, while the highest toluene conversion was obtained at optimum equimolar ratio of toluene to isopropanol. The dual-zeolite based catalyst was found to possess the highest conversion in cumene-toluene transalkylation as well as a higher cymene selectivity compared with USY catalyst. Significant cymene yields were noticed in the alkylation of cumene with methanol over USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst. The apparent activation energy of toluene isopropylation (E2) was found to be higher than the value for cymene isopropylation (E3).",

keywords = "Alkylation, Cymenes, Dual catalyst, Kinetic modeling, Transalkylation, USY",

author = "T. Odedairo and S. Al-Khattaf",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by King AbdulAziz City for Science and Technology for this research under the Refining \& Petrochemicals Program of the National Science and Technology Plan (NSTP) for the year 2009 (09-PETE86-4). We are grateful for the support from Ministry of Higher Education, Saudi Arabia for the establishment of the Centre of Research Excellence in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). Mr. Mariano Gica also is acknowledged for his help during the experimental work.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.cej.2010.12.043",

language = "English",

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AU - Odedairo, T.

AU - Al-Khattaf, S.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by King AbdulAziz City for Science and Technology for this research under the Refining & Petrochemicals Program of the National Science and Technology Plan (NSTP) for the year 2009 (09-PETE86-4). We are grateful for the support from Ministry of Higher Education, Saudi Arabia for the establishment of the Centre of Research Excellence in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). Mr. Mariano Gica also is acknowledged for his help during the experimental work.

PY - 2011/2/15

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N2 - Gas-phase alkylation of toluene with isopropanol and its transalkylation with cumene were investigated at 200, 250, 275 and 300°C with contact time ranging from 5 to 20s. These reactions were carried out in a fluidized-bed reactor under atmospheric conditions over USY zeolite and a dual-zeolite based catalyst (DZ) comprising mordenite and ZSM-5. In toluene isopropylation, USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst showed comparable cymene yield, but the maximum cymene yield over DZ catalyst was obtained at a much lower temperature. Cymene selectivity over USY catalyst increased with increasing feed mole ratio (toluene: isopropanol) from 1:1 to 3:1, while the highest toluene conversion was obtained at optimum equimolar ratio of toluene to isopropanol. The dual-zeolite based catalyst was found to possess the highest conversion in cumene-toluene transalkylation as well as a higher cymene selectivity compared with USY catalyst. Significant cymene yields were noticed in the alkylation of cumene with methanol over USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst. The apparent activation energy of toluene isopropylation (E2) was found to be higher than the value for cymene isopropylation (E3).

AB - Gas-phase alkylation of toluene with isopropanol and its transalkylation with cumene were investigated at 200, 250, 275 and 300°C with contact time ranging from 5 to 20s. These reactions were carried out in a fluidized-bed reactor under atmospheric conditions over USY zeolite and a dual-zeolite based catalyst (DZ) comprising mordenite and ZSM-5. In toluene isopropylation, USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst showed comparable cymene yield, but the maximum cymene yield over DZ catalyst was obtained at a much lower temperature. Cymene selectivity over USY catalyst increased with increasing feed mole ratio (toluene: isopropanol) from 1:1 to 3:1, while the highest toluene conversion was obtained at optimum equimolar ratio of toluene to isopropanol. The dual-zeolite based catalyst was found to possess the highest conversion in cumene-toluene transalkylation as well as a higher cymene selectivity compared with USY catalyst. Significant cymene yields were noticed in the alkylation of cumene with methanol over USY and the dual-zeolite based catalyst. The apparent activation energy of toluene isopropylation (E2) was found to be higher than the value for cymene isopropylation (E3).

KW - Alkylation

KW - Cymenes

KW - Dual catalyst

KW - Kinetic modeling

KW - Transalkylation

KW - USY

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DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2010.12.043

M3 - Article

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VL - 167

SP - 240

EP - 254

JO - Chemical Engineering Journal

JF - Chemical Engineering Journal

IS - 1

ER -

Alkylation and transalkylation of alkylbenzenes in cymene production over zeolite catalysts

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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