Hydrogen chloride cracking inhibitor

In isomerizing butane with aluminum chloride, only a small amount of catalyst-hydrocarbon complex is formed, but pentane and especially hexane produce more complex. Both pentane and hexane tend to crack during treatment and this is the cause of the extensive side reactions. The formation of sludge is inhibited in pentane isomerization by the use of 0.3 to 1.3 weight per cent benzene, and in hexane isomerization, hydrogen is used as an inhibitor. 

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