Catalyst dual function

Historically, the isomerization catalysts have included amorphous siUca-aluminas, zeoHtes, and metal-loaded oxides. AH of the catalysts contain acidity, which isomerizes the xylenes and if strong enough can also crack the EB and xylenes to benzene and toluene. Dual functional catalysts additionally contain a metal that is capable of converting EB to xylenes. 

Commercial processes which use a dual-functional catalyst are Octafining, Isomar, and Isolene. 

UOP s Isomar process (56,117—119) was originally developed to use dual-functional catalysts. The first-generation catalyst contained Pt and halogen on alumina. Operating conditions using this catalyst were 399°C 1.25 MPa 2 LHSV and H2/hydrocarbon ratio of 6 1. A Cg naphthene concentration of... 

Powerforming is basically a conversion process in which catalytically promoted chemical reactions convert low octane feed components into high octane products. The key to a good reforming process is a highly selective dual-function catalyst. The dual nature of this catalyst relates to the two separate catalyst functions atomically dispersed platinum to provide... 

In many cases there is an interaction between the carrier and the active component of the catalyst so that the character of the active surface will change. For example, the electronic character of the supported catalyst may be influenced by the transfer of electrons across the catalyst-carrier interface. In some cases the carrier itself has a catalytic activity for the primary reaction, an intermediate reaction, or a subsequent reaction, and a dual-function catalyst is thereby obtained. Materials of this type are widely employed in reforming processes. There are other cases where the interaction of the catalyst and support are much more subtle and difficult to label. For example, the crystal size and structure of supported metal catalysts as well as the manner in which the metal is dispersed can be influenced by the nature of the support material. 

Butamer [Butane isomerization] A process for converting n-butane into iso-butane conducted in the presence of hydrogen over a dual-functional catalyst containing a noble metal. Developed by UOP and licensed worldwide since 1959. In 1992, more than 55 units had been licensed. 

Production of p-xylene via p-xylene removal, i.e., by crystallization or adsorption, and re-equilibration of the para-depleted stream requires recycle operation. Ethylbenzene in the feed must therefore be converted to lower or higher boiling products during the xylene isomerization step, otherwise it would build up in the recycle stream. With dual-functional catalysts, ethylbenzene is converted partly to xylenes and is partly hydrocracked. With mono-functional acid ZSM-5, ethylbenzene is converted at low temperature via transalkylation, and at higher temperature via transalkylation and dealkylation. In both cases, benzene of nitration grade purity is produced as a valuable by-product. 

In a laboratory scale dehydrocyclization reaction using a dual-function catalyst, Davis (8) reported that the aromatic products were o-xylene, /w-xylene and ethylbenzene in approximately equal amounts (ca. 20-30% each) and p-xylene (ca, 15%). The formation of these was assumed to be from a direct 1,6-ring closure, as sketched in the following two diagrams ... 

As previously mentioned, Davis (8) has shown that in model dehydrocyclization reactions with a dual function catalyst and an n-octane feedstock, isomerization of the hydrocarbon to 2-and 3-methylheptane is faster than the dehydrocyclization reaction. Although competitive isomerization of an alkane feedstock is commonly observed in model studies using monofunctional (Pt) catalysts, some of the alkanes produced can be rationalized as products of the hydrogenolysis of substituted cyclopentanes, which in turn can be formed on platinum surfaces via free radical-like mechanisms. However, the 2- and 3-methylheptane isomers (out of a total of 18 possible C8Hi8 isomers) observed with dual function catalysts are those expected from the rearrangement of n-octane via carbocation intermediates. Such acid-catalyzed isomerizations are widely acknowledged to occur via a protonated cyclopropane structure (25, 28), in this case one derived from the 2-octyl cation, which can then be the precursor... 

As mentioned, cyclopentanes can be formed with monofunctional catalysts, and so even with dual function catalysts, one would expect some of the cyclopentanes to form via mechanisms associated with the platinum reactivity part of the dual functionality. 

While a majority of laboratory-scale dehydrocyclization studies involve carefully chosen feedstocks, often a single alkane, commercial operators use a naphtha fraction consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons. At least some of these will be incapable of easily undergoing direct dehydrocyclization and need to be isomerized into reactive structures if aromatics are to be formed. The work of Davis suggests that the acidity of dual function catalysts is an important added factor in these isomerizations, one which likely complements the different set of isomerizations that may be catalyzed by the platinum function. 

Although there is clear experimental evidence (8) in model dehydrocyclization reactions, using a dual function catalyst, that carbocations are... 

In contrast to this mechanism, the one proposed in our work operates direct from the oxidation state of the alkane feedstock. The same alkyl cation intermediate can lead to both alkane isomerization (an alkyl cation is widely accepted as the reactive intermediate in these reactions) and we have shown in this paper that a mechanistically viable dehydrocyclization route is feasible starting with the identical cation. Furthermore, the relative calculated barrier for each of the above processes is in accord with the experimental finding of Davis, i.e. that isomerization of a pure alkane feedstock, n-octane, with a dual function catalyst (carbocation intermediate) leads to an equilibration with isooctanes at a faster rate than the dehydrocyclization reaction of these octane isomers (8). 

IV. Cyclization over Dual Function Catalysts and Oxides.311... 

This article will deal with metal-catalyzed cyclization reactions, with reference to oxide and dual-function catalysts. Product cycles may contain five or six carbon atoms. The respective prefixes C5 and will point to the resulting structure (5). The term dehydrocyclization will be applied to reactions that end up with aromatic products the formation of saturated (cycloalkane) rings will henceforth be called cyclization. ... 

The first metallic catalyst used for dehydrocyclization of alkanes (/) was platinum on carbon (10-40 w/w% metal). It is typically used around atmospheric pressure and temperatures not exceeding 300°C. Such catalysts are inadequate for praetical purposes. This is the reason for commercial dual-function catalysts—typically platinum on silica-alumina—having been developed 32). 

Dual function catalysts contain metallic and acidic active sites. No distinction will be made here between mono- and multimetallic catalysts—all the more since our knowledge on the latter type of catalysts is far from perfect. 

Sinfelt et al. (120) observed a twofold increase in the -heptane aromatiza-tion rate when the platinum content of their alumina-supported catalyst increased from 0.10 to 0.60%. At the same time, the rate of methylcyclo-pentane ring expansion remained constant. This result also serves as evidence for metal-catalyzed aromatization over dual-function catalysts without the participation of any Cg cyclic intermediate. The cyclization activity of platinum itself was independent of the nature of the support (109). Pure acidic cyclization prevailed with olefin feed (30, 109). 

Special attention has been paid to acid-catalyzed ring expansion. Sterba and Haensel (J19) reported that the rate of benzene formation from methyl-cyclopentane increases with increasing fluorine content of the catalyst (up to 1.0% F with 0.3% Pt on alumina). At the same time, increasing platinum content also promoted this reaction (up to 0.075% Pt with 0.77% F on alumina). This indicates the remarkable cooperative action of a dual function catalyst (119, p. 11). 

Paraffin isomerization of heavy alkane feeds is often used to alter the cloud or pour point of diesel or lube fractions. Catalysts for this reaction are almost always dual-function catalysts of Pt supported on a one-dimensional zeolite. Using a onedimensional zeolite allows control of the isomerized product to contain few branches, usually methyl branches (Table 12.4). 

Hydrocracking and hydroisomerization are related bond breaking and rearrangement processes which rely on the use of dual function catalysts operating under high hydrogen pressure to achieve their objectives. In fact, they share the same fundamental mechanistic steps and differ mainly in the degree to which some... 

Dual-function catalysts possessing both metallic and acidic sites bring about more complex transformations. Carbocationic cyclization and isomerization as well as reactions characteristic of metals occurring in parallel or in subsequent steps offer new reaction pathways. Alternative reactions may result in the formation of the same products in various multistep pathways. Mechanical mixtures of acidic supports (silica-alumina) and platinum gave results similar to those of platinum supported on acidic alumina.214,215 This indicates that proximity of the active sites is not a requirement for bifunctional catalysis, that is, that the two different functions seem to operate independently. 

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