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Active nature of tellurium-loaded zeolite dehydrocyclization catalysts

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6159871

The active nature of tellurium-loaded zeolite dehydrocyclization catalysts was examined due to the importance of dehydrocyclization reactions in catalytic reforming to produce high-octane gasolines. Kinetic studies showed that the reactions of cyclohexane and n-hexane over these catalysts to form benzene were both first order in the reactant. The cyclohexane reaction gave Vertical Bar3; 2Vertical Bar3< cyclohexene and cracking products, but the n-hexane reaction also gave n-hexenes and 3-8Vertical Bar3< cracking products. Deuterium tracer tests on cyclohexane and cyclohexene, and kinetic data on the effect of hydrogen concentration on the cyclohexane reaction rate, indicated that the cyclohexane reaction proceeds by a stepwise dehydrogenation. Carbon-14 tracer tests showed that the reaction of n-hexane proceeds only through n-hexenes. Sodium NMR and ESCA spectra indicated that the tellurium is coordinated to the cation associated with the support and that elemental tellurium is the active surface species. A simple dehydrogenation mechanism is proposed involving simultaneous abstraction of two hydrogen atoms by one tellurium atom.

OSTI ID:
6159871
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English