Envirocat EPIC a versatile solid acid

Whilst solid acids such as zeolites and other aluminosilicates have been the subject of considerable study in the context of alkane chemistry (e.g. catalytic cracking and alkene isomerisation), the design of more versatile materials which can be used in the fine chemical industry has been less thoroughly researched. However, the need for the production of solid acids to replace traditional protonic acids such as hydrogen fluoride, phosphoric and sulfuric acids in liquid phase processes is an increasingly important goal. Some progress has been made in this area and the commercial product Envirocat EPIC [19] provides an excellent example of a 

Strong, solid Bronsted acid catalyst. It has a wide range of applications including alkene alkylations, Beckmann rearrangements and esterification reactions its uses in Friedel-Crafts reactions are described in section 16.5.1. 

The opportunity plainly exists for improvements to be made to processes carried out in acidic media. Solid acids such as zeolites and Envirocat EPIC offer many advantages, not least of these the negation of the storage and handling problems associated with conventional mineral acids. 

---