Heptanes dehydrocyclization

Figure 5 shows the relative catalytic activities for n-heptane dehydrocyclization to toluene and for dehydrogenation of cyclohexane. On this catalyst, dehydrocyclization of paraffins can be produced simultaneously by a monofunctional metallic mechanism and a bifunctional one controlled by the acid function (refs. 16-18). The deactivation produced by a small coke deposition should correspond to the deactivation of the contribution of the metallic mechanism to dehydrocyclization. This linear deactivation for the rest of the coke deposition should correspond to the deactivation of the contribution of the bifunctional acid controlled mechanism. The decrease in dehydrocyclization observed during the lineout period is smaller than the decrease in gas formation (by hydrocracking-hydrogenoly5is)i therefore, the selectivity to aromatic hydrocarbons increases during this period. 

When the same Pt-Re-S/Al202 catalyst was coked in laboratory, the fraction of coke on the metallic function was higher than when the catalyst was coked in the commercial unit, as shown in Figure 2, curves C and A. For this reason, the metal function is deactivated more extensively in the case of laboratory coking the residual activity of the reactions controlled by the metal function is smaller and the initial drop of activity in n-pentane hydrocracking and n-heptane dehydrocyclization is greater. 

W.D. Gillespie, R.K. Herz, E.E. Petersen, and G.A. Somoijai. The Structure Sensitivity of n-Heptane Dehydrocyclization and Hydrogenolysis Catalyzed by Platinum Single Crystals at Atmospheric Pressure. J. Catal. IQ AAl (1981). 

Figure 17C shows the effect of copper and iron on the n-heptane dehydrocyclization. 

As catalytic supports, lanthana has been used in the synthesis of methanol from syngas [32], in the ethane hydrogenolysis and cyclopropane hydrogenation [5], in the n-heptane dehydrocyclization [33] and in the oxidative coupling of methane [34], as well as in diesel soot elimination [35] and diy reforming of methane [36],... 

The focus of the next four chapters (Chapters 14-17) is mainly on the theoretical/computational aspects. Chapter 14 by T. S. Sorensen and E. C. F. Yang examines the involvement of p-hydrido cation intermediates in the context of the industrially important heptane to toluene dehydrocyclization process. Chapter 15 by P. M. Esteves et al. is devoted to theoretical studies of carbonium ions. Chapter 16 by G. L. Borosky and K. K. Laali presents a computational study on aza-PAH carbocations as models for the oxidized metabolites of Aza-PAHs. Chapter 17 by S. C. Ammal and H. Yamataka examines the borderline Beckmann rearrangement-fragmentation mechanism and explores the influence of carbocation stability on the reaction mechanism. 

MO Calculations Involving p-Hydrido Cation Intermediates Relevant to the Heptane to Toluene Dehydrocyclization Reaction... 

Catalytic dehydrocyclization (also known as alkane reforming), discovered in 1936, is now an important industrial process that converts alkanes to aromatics (1, 2). This reaction is often shown for the prototypic conversion of heptane to toluene and four moles of hydrogen, although in model studies octanes have played a greater role since there is a larger product diversity possible. 

We have not carried out calculations starting with secondary cations derived from the title alkanes because at a computational level, these will have ground-states and transition-states similar to heptane itself (previously discussed). This will be true even though the most stable carbocations in these branched alkanes will be the corresponding tertiary ions, which in themselves will not be directly involved in dehydrocyclization processes. However, one has to keep in mind that the thermodynamic ground-states in these real catalytic reactions will be the alkanes themselves, and in this regard secondary cations formed from n-octane or 2- (or 3-) methylheptane will not differ much in absolute energy. As shown earlier, a 1,6-closure of 2-methylheptane leads eventually to m-xylene, while 3-methylheptane has eventual routes to both o- and p-xylene. 

Stepwise Ce dehydrocyclization was observed over potassia-chromia-alumina as well as potassia-molybdena-alumina catalysts (9, 10). Higher operating temperatures (450°-500°C) of these catalysts facilitate the appearance of unsaturated intermediates in the gas phase. Radiotracer studies indicate a predominant Ce ring closure of C-labeled n-heptane over pure chromia (132,132a). 

Stepped surfaces withstand cyclic oxidation-reduction treatments (146) like [111] and some other low-index planes. Steps have either [311] or [110] structures. They are claimed to be the only places where orbital hybridization does not take place (136). No wonder that such platinum (138) and iridium (147) surfaces have enhanced activity in Cg dehydrocyclization of n-heptane. 

Eischens and Selwood 176) have made a study of the activity of reduced chromia-on-alumina catalysts for the dehydrocyclization of n-heptane. The activity per unit weight of chromium was found to increase sharply at concentrations below about 5 wt. % Cr activities were measured down to 1.9 wt. % Cr concentration at which point the highest activity was observed. Selwood and Eischens concluded that this effect is due to the fact that the chromia is most dispersed at these low concentrations, in agreement with the present EPR data. However, if a two-site mechanism 177) is necessary for dehydrocyclization, the activity may drop at even lower chromium concentrations due to isolation of individual chiomium spins. 

The first reaction is the isomerization from a zero-octane molecule to an alkane with 100 octane the second is the dehydrocyclization of heptane to toluene with 120 octane, while the third is the rmdesired formation of coke. To reduce the rate of cracking and coke formation, the reactor is run with a high partial pressure of H2 that promotes the reverse reactions, especially the coke removal reaction. Modem catalytic reforming reactors operate at 500 to 550°C in typically a 20 1 mole excess of H2 at pressures of 20-50 atm. These reactions are fairly endothermic, and interstage heating between fixed-bed reactors or periodic withdrawal and heating of feed are used to maintain the desired temperatures as reaction proceeds. These reactors are sketched in Figure 2-16. 

As a result of the studies discussed above, a reasonably consistent picture of the kinetics and mechanism of the dehydrocyclization reaction over oxide catalysts has evolved. However, as pointed out earlier in this section, relatively few kinetic data have been reported for dehydrocyclization over platinum-alumina reforming-type catalysts. The data which have been reported include those of Hettinger and co-workers (H7), who studied the dehydrocyclization of re-heptane over platinum catalysts. These investigators found that the rate of dehydrocyclization decreased with increasing total pressure at a constant hydrogen-to-hydrocarbon ratio (Fig. 9). They also reported that the extent of dehydrocyclization was substantially greater for re-nonane than for re-heptane, which is consistent with the results obtained on oxide catalysts. In a later study of the kinetics... 

Fig. 9. Effect of total pressure on dehydrocyclization of n-heptane over platinum-alumina catalyst (H7). Conditions 496°C., H2/HC = 5/1.

More important, the carbonaceous deposit on the platinum catalyst surfaces was often ordered, and ordering imparted to it unique properties. The presence of an ordered overlayer eliminated the poisoning of dehydrogenation reactions (C6H10 to C6H6). The dehydrocyclization of -heptane to... 

It has been reported (115) that n-heptane and n-octane dehydrocyclize upon alloying of palladium with silver. The dehydrocyclization products are to a considerable degree dealkylated. 

A1203 support Dehydrogenation of cyclohexane, dehydrocyclization of n-heptane, chemisorption of H2. 

Beltramini and Trimm (67) utilized Pt-, Sn- and Pt-Sn- supported on y-alumina for the conversion of n-heptane at 500°C and 5 bar. They observed that during six hours less coke per mole of heptane converted was deposited on the Pt-Sn-alumina catalyst than on Pt-alumina however, the total amount of coke formed during six hours was much greater on Pt-Sn-alumina than on Pt-alumina. The addition of tin increased the selectivity of dehydrocyclization. Since hydrocracking and isomerization activity of a Sn-alumina catalyst remained high in spite of coke formation, the authors concluded that there was little support for the suggestion that tin poisons most of the acid sites on the catalyst. These authors (68) also measured activity, selectivity and coking over a number of alumina supported catalysts Pt, Pt-Re, Pt-Ir, Pt-Sn and Pt-... 

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