Styrene from toluene by side chain alkylation over a novel solid acid-base catalyst

• Published in: Catalysis today Vol. 173; no. 1; pp. 38 - 43
• Main Authors: Wang, Bin, Huang, Wei, Wen, Yueli, Zuo, Zhijun, Gao, Zhihua, Yin, Lihua
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: absorption; alkylation; aluminum; Catalysis; catalysts; catalytic activity; Characterization; Chemistry; desorption; Distance; evaporation; Exact sciences and technology; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; General and physical chemistry; methanol; nitrogen; Solid acid-base catalyst; Styrene; temperature; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; toluene; Toluene alkylation; X-radiation; X-ray diffraction; Characterization; Toluene alkylation; Solid acid-base catalyst; Distance; Styrene; Photoelectron; Chain reaction; Alcohol; X ray; Selectivity; Alkylation; Solid; Template; Amine; Alkanol; Photoelectron spectrometry; Methanol; Hydrocarbon; Toluene; Thermodesorption; Aluminium; Evaporation; Nitrogen; X ray diffraction; Base; Infrared spectrometry; Ammonia; Heterogeneous catalysis; Triblock copolymer; Acids; Poloxamer; Benzenic compound; Fine chemistry; Catalyst
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2011.05.038

[Display omitted] • A novel solid acid-base catalyst containing N and Al atoms has been synthesized successfully. • Styrene yield (44.9%) and selectivity (97.6%) can be achieved for side chain alkylation of toluene with methanol over the catalyst. • For side chain alkylation of toluene, three crucial parameters of catalyst are the weak and/or middle acid sites, middle base sites and the befitting distance between acid and base sites. A novel solid acid-base catalyst with aluminum and nitrogen were prepared from aluminum and amine by using triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 as a template and resol as framework via evaporation induced organic–organic assembly method. The catalyst was characterized by UV–vis absorption spectra (UV–vis), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), the acid-base properties of the catalyst were determined by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) using CO 2 and NH 3 as probe molecules, and the side chain alkylation of toluene with methanol over the catalyst has been investigated. The results show that Cat–NH(C 2H 5) 2 demonstrates the higher activity and selectivity, styrene yield reaches 44.9% and selectivity 97.6%. It is considered that the strength of base and distance of the specific surface acid-base pairs over the catalysts are favored to bimolecular side-chain alkylation reaction.