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Article

The Effects of Supercritical Propane on the Alkylation of Toluene with Ethylene over USY and Sulfated Zirconia Catalysts

Daniel M. Ginosar,* Kyle Coates,^† and David N. Thompson^‡

Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415-2208

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2002, 41 (25), pp 6537–6545

DOI: 10.1021/ie0202569

Publication Date (Web): November 13, 2002

Corresponding author: Daniel M. Ginosar. Phone: (208) 526-9049. E-mail: dmg@inel.gov. Fax: (208) 526-8541.

†

Phone: (208) 526-6994. E-mail: kam2@inel.gov.

‡

Phone: (208) 526-3977. E-mail: thomdn@inel.gov.

Abstract

The alkylation of toluene with ethylene over microporous USY zeolite and mesoporous sulfated zirconia (S/ZrO₂) catalysts was explored at liquid, near-critical liquid, and supercritical conditions using propane as the supercritical cosolvent. Liquid, near-critical liquid, and supercritical conditions were examined for their effects on product selectivity and catalyst activity maintenance. The S/ZrO₂ catalyst demonstrated alkylation activity almost exclusively, whereas the USY catalyst demonstrated both alkylation and cracking/disproportionation activities. Near-critical and supercritical reaction conditions improved product selectivity with the USY catalyst through the suppression of disproportionation reactions and enhanced ortho- and para-ethyltoluene selectivity. However, the addition of the supercritical cosolvent resulted in increased deactivation for both the S/ZrO₂ and USY catalysts, with deactivation increasing with propane mole fraction.

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