Hydrogen fluoride, catalyst for alkylations

Hydrogen fluoride, catalyst for alkylations, 32, 91 Hydrogen iodide, 31,32 Hydrogenolysis of 2-thio-6-methyl-uracil, 36, 81... 

In the petroleum industry, the sulfuric acid and hydrogen fluoride employed as alkylation catalysts must be substantially anhydrous to be effective, and steel equipment is satisfactory. Where conditions are not anhydrous, lead-lined, monel-lined, or enamel-lined equipment is satisfactory. In a few cases, copper or tinned copper is still used, for example, in the manufacture of pharmaceutical and photographic products to lessen contamination with metals. 

The relative location of refinery and acid plant is one of the most important factors in the economic decision between sulfuric acid and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride as a catalyst for alkylation. Besides the distance, other factors such as regeneration of spent acid, energy costs, the nature of the feed and increasingly stringent regulatory constraints play an important role in the selection of alkylation catalyst. Sulfuric acid is selected for alkylation if feed is rich in pentenes or n-butene. HF is selected if the feed is rich in propenes or isobutane. 

Aluminum chloride has been used as a ditalyst for the allqrlation of phenols or of acids, but it should be noted that these reagents frequently react vigorously to yield aluminum salts of the phenols or acids. For this reason boron fluoride, hydrogen fluoride, and sulfuric acid generally have been used as catalysts for alkylation of such substances. 

Three basic processes have been practiced for linear alkylbenzene manufacture. The most prevalent route of alkylbenzene manufacture is by partial dehydrogenation of paraffins, followed by alkylation of benzene with a mixed olefin/paraffin feedstock, using liquid hydrogen fluoride catalyst. A second route is via partial chlorination of paraffins, followed by alkylation of the chloroparaffin/paraffin feedstock in the presence of an aluminium chloride catalyst. The third process uses partial chlorination, but includes a dehydrochlorination to olefin step prior to alkylation with aluminium chloride or hydrogen fluoride. 

Solid superacid catalysts, proposed as replacements for catalysts such as hydrogen fluoride and aluminum chloride for processes such as alkylation and acylation (Misono and Okuhara, 1993). 

In order to achieve high yields, the reaction usually is conducted by application of high pressure. For laboratory use, the need for high-pressure equipment, together with the toxicity of carbon monoxide, makes that reaction less practicable. The scope of that reaction is limited to benzene, alkyl substituted and certain other electron-rich aromatic compounds. With mono-substituted benzenes, thepara-for-mylated product is formed preferentially. Super-acidic catalysts have been developed, for example generated from trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, hydrogen fluoride and boron trifluoride the application of elevated pressure is then not necessary. 

Detal [Detergent alkylation] A process for making detergent alkylate, i.e., alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons such as linear alkyl benzenes, as intermediates for the manufacture of detergents, by reacting C10-C13 olefins with benzene in a fixed bed of an acid catalyst. Developed by UOP and CEPSA as a replacement for their Detergent Alkylate process, which uses liquid hydrogen fluoride as the catalyst. Demonstrated in a pilot plant in 1991 and first commercialized in Canada in 1996. Offered by UOP. 

Elsewhere the author has published examples of the use of hydrogen fluoride to catalyze the alkylation of benzene using a variety of alkylating agents (Simons, 22, 23, 24). The breadth and scope of the catalytic power of hydrogen fluoride can be better obtained by a more complete examination of the alkylations now published using this catalyst. For reasons of organization, the subject is divided into aromatic and aliphatic reactions. 

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