Bifunctional metal/acid catalysis zeolites

Noble metal zeolite catalysts are used in various processes, most of them occurring through bifunctional hydrogenating/acid catalysis. One exception, however, is the selective aromatization of n-alkanes (e.g. n-hexane into benzene) proceeding through monofunctional metal catalysis. Indeed the PtLTL catalyst used commercially does not present any protonic sites. 

The rich variety of active sites that can be present in zeolites (i) protonic acidic sites, which catalyze acid reactions (ii) Lewis-acid sites, which often act in association with basic sites (acid-base catalysis) (iii) basic sites (iv) redox sites, incorporated either in the zeolite framework (e.g., Ti of titanosHicates) or in the channels or cages (e.g., Pt clusters, metal complexes). Moreover, redox and acidic or basic sites can act in a concerted way for catalyzing bifunctional processes. 

When metal centers act in conjunction with acid sites on the zeolite, bifunctional catalysis can occur (e.g., Pd/HY). This type of catalysis is used mainly for the hydrocracking and isomerization of long-chain n-alkanes. For example, the rates of formation of 2- and 5-methylnonane isomers obtained from n-decane isomerization over bifunctional zeolite catalysts depend on the size and structure of the zeolites used. This reaction has been developed as a test reaction to characterize zeolite structures (17-19). 

Various kinds of oxide materials, including single oxides, mixed oxides, molybdates, heteropoly-ions, clays, and zeolites, are used in catalysis they can be amorphous or crystalline, acid or basic. Furthermore the oxides can be the actual catalysts or they can act as supports on which the active catalysts have been deposited. Silica and alumina are commonly used to support both metals and other metal oxide species. Amorphous silica/alumina is a solid acid catalyst, it is also used as a support for metals, when bifunctional (acid and metal) catalysis is required, e.g., in the cracking of hydrocarbons. Other acid catalysts are those obtained by the deposition of a soluble acid on an inert support, such as phosphoric acid on silica (SPA, used in the alkylation of benzene to cumene. Section 5.2.3). They show similar properties to those of the soluble parent acids, while allowing easier handling and fixed bed operation in commercial units. 

Medium pore aluminophosphate based molecular sieves with the -11, -31 and -41 crystal structures are active and selective catalysts for 1-hexene isomerization, hexane dehydrocyclization and Cg aromatic reactions. With olefin feeds, they promote isomerization with little loss to competing hydride transfer and cracking reactions. With Cg aromatics, they effectively catalyze xylene isomerization and ethylbenzene disproportionation at very low xylene loss. As acid components in bifunctional catalysts, they are selective for paraffin and cycloparaffin isomerization with low cracking activity. In these reactions the medium pore aluminophosphate based sieves are generally less active but significantly more selective than the medium pore zeolites. Similarity with medium pore zeolites is displayed by an outstanding resistance to coke induced deactivation and by a variety of shape selective actions in catalysis. The excellent selectivities observed with medium pore aluminophosphate based sieves is attributed to a unique combination of mild acidity and shape selectivity. Selectivity is also enhanced by the presence of transition metal framework constituents such as cobalt and manganese which may exert a chemical influence on reaction intermediates. 

Isomorphous substitution of T element in a molecular sieve material is very interesting in order to modify its acidic or redox catalytic and shape selective properties. Different ways to perform such a substitution are now well established either during synthesis or post synthesis in( luding solid-solid reaction between the zeolite and another oxide. The substituted eliiment may be strongly or weakly bound to the framework i.e. may remain stable or may give rise to well dispersed metallic oxide particles entrapped in the cavities. This results in different catalytic properties and may even lead to bifunctional catalysis as for Ga-ZSM-5 material. 

Type of Active Sites. - In heterogeneous catalysis the following type of actives sites can be distinguished (i) metallic, (ii) acid-base, (iii) red-ox type, and (iv) anchored metal-complex. The catalytic sites may contain one of the above types of active sites or can include several types of sites. In case of different type of sites the catalysts are bifunctional or multifunctional. For instance, Pt/Al203 and Pt/mordenite are typical bifunctional catalysts containing both metallic and acidic types of active sites. On the other hand, Pt or Pd supported on silicon carbide, nitride, or Pt/L-zeolite are mono-functional catalysts. There are important industrial reactions, such as isomerization and aromatization of linear hydrocarbons, which requires bifunctional catalysts, such as chlorinated... 

For the acid catalysed conversion of hydrocarbons, the reaction mechanisms in absence of sterical hinderance are rather well understood, so that molecular shape-selective effects exerted by constrained environments can be isolated [8,9]. Shape-selective catalysis is also possible when other than acid functions are confined to the intracrystalline void volumes of zeolite crystals, e.g. metal [10,11], bifunctional [12] and basic functions [13]. Nowadays, catalysis on zeolites with organic substrates containing heteroatoms receives much attention. Molecular shape-selectivity seems to be superimposed on electronic factors determining the selectivities [14,15]. 

Zeolites are widely applied in the processing of oil Acid-catalyzed reactions of hydrocarbons proceed through carbenium ion intermediates. Bifunctional catalysis combines the catalytic properties of metal particles and of zeolites. 

Molecular heats of adsorption play a role in many catalytic reactions. Figure 6.23 illustrates this for an isomerization reaction catalyzed by a solid acid. As explained in Chapter 3, the hydroisomerization of alkanes on a zeolite-supported metal proceeds through a bifunctional reaction mechanism, in which the metal has the function of activating C-H bonds and H2 at a low reaction temperature. The alkane-alkene equilibrium is established by metal catalysis, and the alkene is protonated and isomerized by the acidic protons of the zeolite... 

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