Product shape selectivity , zeolite catalysis

Canada s R D efforts continued to down-play upgrading over the next four years and concentrated almost exclusively on primary oil production. By 1984, oil prices appeared to be more settled and the time frame for commercializing transportation fuels from bio-oil was likely to be well beyond 2000. There appeared to be plenty of time to perfect oil upgrading at a later date, either through hydrotreating or using shape-selective zeolite catalysis. 

Dusselier M, Van Wouwe P, Dewaele A, Jacobs PA, Sels BF. Shape-selective zeolite catalysis for bioplastics production. Science 2015 349 78-80. 

One way to rationalize the behavior of Pt/ZSM-22 is via a branching mechanism, where the reacting molecules enter the zeolite pores partially, are branched at the end which does not penetrate the pores, and consequently are obliged to desorb. However, the high selectivity for 2,7-dimethyloctane in the dibranched isomers from decane [51,52] points to the existence of a site which is particularly suited for branching the end of hydrocarbon chains. As 2-methylalkanes in reaction conditions cannot enter the pores of ZSM-22, the hypothesis of "pore mouth" catalysis is preferred in this case over product shape-selectivity. 

The phenomenon of shape selectivity in the reactions performed on zeolites arises from the fact that the probabilities of forming various products in the narrow intracrystalline cavities and channels are largely determined by the dimension and configuration of the zeolite pores [163], Although there was extensive indirect evidence of the shape selectivity of catalysis by zeolites [164,165], there was no direct observation of this effect based on analysis of the reaction products inside the pores. The ability of MAS NMR to identify the structure of organic molecules directly in the intracrystalline voids of zeolites allowed direct observation of the shape selectivity effect. Anderson and Klinowski analyzed the products of methanol conversion into gasoline on zeolite ZSM-5 by in situ C MAS NMR and reliably established the formation in zeolite pores of a number of methyl-substituted benzenes that had never been observed at the reactor outlet [166], The origin of this effect was obvious (Scheme 6) different trimethylbenzenes are formed in the zeolite pores, however, the bulkiest isomers cannot leave the pore interior because of the limited pore exit size in the zeolite structure. Thus, the... 

Figure C2.12.10. Different manifestations of shape-selectivity in zeolite catalysis. Reactant selectivity (top), product selectivity (middle) and transition state selectivity (bottom).

Zeolites have led to a new phenomenon in heterogeneous catalysis, shape selectivity. It has two aspects (a) formation of an otherwise possible product is blocked because it cannot fit into the pores, and (b) formation of the product is blocked not by (a) but because the transition state in the bimolecular process leading to it cannot fit into the pores. For example, (a) is involved in zeolite catalyzed reactions which favor a para-disubstituted benzene over the ortho and meso. The low rate of deactivation observed in some reactions of hydrocarbons on some zeoUtes has been ascribed to (b) inhibition of bimolecular steps forming coke. 

Catalysis of 12-membered zeolites, H-mordenlte (HM), HY, and HL was studied In the alkylation of biphenyl. The para-selectlvltles were up to 70% for Isopropylblphenyl (IPBP), and 80% for dllsopropylblphenyl (DIBP) In HM catalyzed Isopropylatlon. Catalysis of HY and HL zeolites was nonselectlve. These differences depend on differences In pore structure of zeolites. Catalysis of HM to give the least bulky Isomer Is controlled shape-selectlvely by sterlc restriction of the transition state and by the entrance of IPBP Isomers. Alkylation with HY and HL Is controlled by the electron density of reactant molecule and by the stability of product molecules because these zeolites have enough space for the transition state to allow all IPBP and DIBP isomers. Dealuminatlon of HM decreased coke deposition to enhance shape selective alkylation of biphenyl. 

Reglospeclflc functionalization of biphenyl is drawing attention as one of key steps in developing advanced materials such as liquid crystals and liquid crystal polymers [1-5]. Catalysis using zeolites is the most promising way to prepare sterlcally small molecules by differentiating between reactants, products, and/or intermediates according to their size and shape. Sterlc restrictions by zeolites Increase the formation of preferred products and prevent the formation of undesirable products [6]. We describe herein shape selective catalysis of 12-membered zeolites, H-mordenite (HM), HY and HL In the alkylation of biphenyl. 

Three types of shape-selective catalysis are distinguished depending on whether pore size limits the entrance of reactant molecules, the departure of product molecules, or the formation of certain transition states [6]. The suitability of zeolite structure for the catalysis is essential for high shape-selectivity. Alkylation of biphenyl is also explained by sterlc control by pore size and shape of zeolite. HY, HL and HM have different pore structures... 

The consecutive formation of o-hydroxybenzophenone (Figure 3) occurred by Fries transposition over phenylbenzoate. In the Fries reaction catalyzed by Lewis-type systems, aimed at the synthesis of hydroxyarylketones starting from aryl esters, the mechanism can be either (i) intermolecular, in which the benzoyl cation acylates phenylbenzoate with formation of benzoylphenylbenzoate, while the Ph-O-AfCL complex generates phenol (in this case, hydroxybenzophenone is a consecutive product of phenylbenzoate transformation), or (ii) intramolecular, in which phenylbenzoate directly transforms into hydroxybenzophenone, or (iii) again intermolecular, in which however the benzoyl cation acylates the Ph-O-AfCL complex, with formation of another complex which then decomposes to yield hydroxybenzophenone (mechanism of monomolecular deacylation-acylation). Mechanisms (i) and (iii) lead preferentially to the formation of p-hydroxybenzophenone (especially at low temperature), while mechanism (ii) to the ortho isomer. In the case of the Bronsted-type catalysis with zeolites, shape-selectivity effects may favor the formation of the para isomer with respect to the ortho one (11,12). 

Zeolites are well known for shape-selective catalysis. Here the shape of the zeolite pores or cavities can control the shape of product. When catalytic reactions take place in channels of zeolites only those products that can be accommodated in the channels advance and emerge. Mobil s ZSM-5 is an example of a shape-selective catalyst. Many more zeolites with different pore sizes or large surface areas are being synthesized, extending the principle of shape-selective catalysis. Such developments are helpful for both existing industrial processes and environmental protection. 

Shape-selective catalysis in zeolite requires that the reactants diffuse inwards to the active sites located at the intracrystalline volume (pores), and that products counterdif-fuse after the reaction. At the active sites, presence of a high local electric field may direct the reaction according to steric requirements to yield specific products. Thus, shape-selectivity may be achieved by virtue of geometric factors, Coulombic field at the active sites and/or difference in diffusion rates. Accordingly, three different kinds of shape-selectivity are distinguished (Dwyer, 1984). If the geometric factors are such that... 

Figure 8.21 Relation between diffusion and shape-selective catalysis by zeolites (a) diffusion coefficients of -alkanes in potassium T-zeolite and (b) product distribution for the cracking of n-tricosane over H-erionite. (Following Gorring, 1973.)...

Zeolites are the most promising microporous materials for achieving highly shape-selective catalysis because their pores are uniformly distributed and have dimensions allowing both the organic reactants and products to enter, to react, and to leave.1... 

Zeolite catalysed alkylation of polynuclear aromatics is considered to be simultaneously governed by several mechanisms. To achieve highly shape-selective catalysis, it is essential that the pore size precisely corresponds to the molecular dimensions of reactants and products, and to the transition state of the reaction intermediates. 

We also mentioned stereospecificity of metal-catalyzed reactions inside zeolite cavities. In acid catalysis by zeolites it is well known that shape selectivity can be imposed by (1) selective admission of reactants fitting into zeolite pores, (2) selective release of products able to diffuse through zeolite channels, while larger molecules are retained, and (3) transition state selectivity, favoring, e.g., a monomolecular transition state over a bimolecular state in a narrow cavity. New tools that have conceptually been added to this arsenal include the collimation of molecules diffusing through well-defined pores, which then hit an active site preferentially via one particular atom or group. 

Shape selective catalysis differentiates between reactants, products, or reaction intermediates according to their shape and size. If almost all catalytic sites are confined within the pore structure of a zeolite and if the pores are small, the fate of reactant molecules and the probability of forming product molecules are determined by molecular dimensions and configurations as well as by the types of catalytically active sites present. Only molecules whose dimensions are less than a critical size can enter the pores, have access to internal catalytic sites, and react there. Furthermore, only molecules that can leave the pores, appear in the final product. 

Stereoselective catalysis in zeolites is still one of the ultimate goals in zeolite science. Earlier work in this field was summarized recently [4]. More recently, Mahrwald et al. [95] reported that the addition of aluminophosphate molecular sieves in the liquid phase alkylation of a-chiral benzaldehydes by butyllithium results in an increased proportion of the so-called Cram product in the diastereomeric mixture. It is argued that in this Grignard type reaction the adsorption of the reactants on the molecular sieves favors the attack at the sterically less hindered position of the molecule. This shape selectivity effect is even observed when the reactant is adsorbed at the outer crystal surface, as demonstrated for the case of the small-pore AIPO4-I7. 

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