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Toluidine isomerization by HZSM-5

Journal Article · · J. Catal.; (United States)

The isomerization of alkylaromatics has been widely studied. Early investigations with homogeneous catalysts, for example, metal halide-hydrogen halide complexes in aromatic solvents, established that the major reaction pathway utilized a series of 1,2-alkyl shifts. Tracer studies with homogeneous catalysts indicated that methyl groups migrated on a ring in an intramolecular mechanism rather than by a series of intermolecular methyl migrations (6,7). On the other hand, alkyl groups more complex than the methyl group - ethyl, n- or isopropyl, t-butyl, etc. - appeared to isomerize by intermolecular shifts. With amorphous silica alumina, the series of 1,2-methyl shifts was the dominant reaction pathway although the apparent selectivity for this mechanism was lower than that obtained with the homogeneous catalyst. With the larger-pore zeolite, LaY, the apparent deviation from the 1,2-methyl shift mechanism was even greater than that for amorphous silica-alumina catalysts. With an intermediate-pore-size zeolite, HZSM-5, xylene isomerization appeared to be nonselective since the primary products consisted of essentially an equilibrium mixture. However, recent tracer studies utilizing (1-/sup 13/C)toluene have shown that the dominant reaction pathway for methyl migration in toluene, a reactant less susceptible to diffusion disguise than the xylene isomers, is by a series of 1,2-methyl shifts.

Research Organization:
Kentucky Energy Cabinet Lab., Lexington (USA)
OSTI ID:
7229711
Journal Information:
J. Catal.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Catal.; (United States) Vol. 111:1; ISSN JCTLA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English