Sulfated mesoporous Ta oxides in the shape selective synthesis of linear alkyl benzene

INOR 234

Junjie Kang, kangjj@uwindsor.ca, Yuxiang Rao, rao7@uwindsor.ca, and David M. Antonelli, danton@uwindsor.ca. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
The selective synthesis of alkylbenzene is an area of great interest in detergency industry. Because of rapid deactivation and low selectivity, the application of microporous solid acid catalysts in the alkylations involving bulky substrates was limited. In this work, mesoporous Ta oxides were treated with 1M sulfuric acid and evaluated for their catalytic activity and selectivity to 2-phenyl isomers in the alkylation of benzene with bulky olefins. XRD and nitrogen adsorption/desorption results demonstrated that the mesostructure was retained during acid treatment. The sulfated mesoporous Ta oxide showed comparable activity to H-Y zeolite, but much higher 2-phenyldodecane selectivity in mild reaction conditions. The high activity and selectivity were rationalized by the eased diffusion of bulky reactants in the mesoporous frameworks. Alkylation of benzene with bulkier 1-tetradecene and over the sulfated mesoporous Ta oxide with smaller pore size further confirmed the dependence of the selectivity to 2-phenyl isomers on the mesostructure.
 

Inorganic Catalysts
7:00 PM-10:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Sci-Mix

Division of Inorganic Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007