Reaction bifunctional isomerization

The discussion to this point has emphasized kinetics of catalytic reactions on a uniform surface where only one type of active site participates in the reaction. Bifunctional catalysts operate by utilizing two different types of catalytic sites on the same solid. For example, hydrocarbon reforming reactions that are used to upgrade motor fuels are catalyzed by platinum particles supported on acidified alumina. Extensive research revealed that the metallic function of Pt/Al203 catalyzes hydrogenation/dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons, whereas the acidic function of the support facilitates skeletal isomerization of alkenes. The isomerization of n-pentane (N) to isopentane (I) is used to illustrate the kinetic sequence associated with a bifunctional Pt/Al203 catalyst ... 

Straight-run gasoline is composed primarily of alkanes and cycloalkanes with only a small fraction of aromatics, and has a low ON of about 50. The ON is improved by catalytic reforming of n-paraffins and cycloalkanes into branched alkanes and aromatics. The main reactions are isomerization (w- to iso-), cycli-zation, dehydrogenation, and dehydrocyclization. The bifunctional catalyst has an acidic function to catalyze isomerization and cyclization and a dehydrogenation function that requires an active metal site. Typically, platinum is used as the metal and AI2O3 for the acidity. 

Hence, the rate depends only on the ratio of the partial pressures of hydrogen and n-pentane. Support for the mechanism is provided by the fact that the rate of n-pentene isomerization on a platinum-free catalyst is very similar to that of the above reaction. The essence of the bifunctional mechanism is that the metal converts alkanes into alkenes and vice versa, enabling isomerization via the carbenium ion mechanism which allows a lower temperature than reactions involving a carbo-nium-ion formation step from an alkane. 

We have explored rare earth oxide-modified amorphous silica-aluminas as "permanent" intermediate strength acids used as supports for bifunctional catalysts. The addition of well dispersed weakly basic rare earth oxides "titrates" the stronger acid sites of amorphous silica-alumina and lowers the acid strength to the level shown by halided aluminas. Physical and chemical probes, as well as model olefin and paraffin isomerization reactions show that acid strength can be adjusted close to that of chlorided and fluorided aluminas. Metal activity is inhibited relative to halided alumina catalysts, which limits the direct metal-catalyzed dehydrocyclization reactions during paraffin reforming but does not interfere with hydroisomerization reactions. 

The three cycles have to turn over in the same range of temperature. This catalytic approach of the DeNOx reaction is not new. There is the same process for isomerization of alkanes, where there are also 3 catalytic cycles which have to turn over simultaneously (bifunctional catalysis). The kinetics of isomerization is given by only one cycle, the other two turning over very rapidly and are near equilibrium [13]. 

The classical HCK mechanism on bifunctional catalysts separates the metallic action from that of the acid by assigning the metallic function to the creation of an olefin from paraffin and the isomerization and cracking of the olefins to the acid function. Both reactions are occurring through carbenium ions [102],... 

The hydroisomerization of heavy linear alkanes is of a great interest in petroleum industry. Indeed, the transformation of long chain n-alkanes into branched alkanes allows to improve the low temperature performances of diesel or lubricating oils [1-3]. On bifunctional Pt-exchanged zeolite catalysts, n-CK, transformed into monobranched isomers, multibranched isomers and cracking products [4], The HBEA zeolite based catalyst was more selective for isomerization than those containing MCM-22 or HZSM-5 zeolites [4], This was explained on one hand by a rapid diffusion of the reaction intermediates inside the large HBEA channels, and on the other hand by the very small crystallites size of this zeolite (0.02 pm). 

Kubica et al45 also investigated the effect of platinum-modified zeolites on the decalin reaction. They found that the addition of Pt enhances the catalyst activity. The initial isomerization was increased 3 times, which can be interpreted in terms of a change in the reaction initiation. In addition to initiation by a PC step over Bronsted acid sites, as proposed for H-form zeolites, a bifunctional initiation path... 

Under the operating conditions, the reaction intermediates (w-hexenes and i-hexenes in n-hexane isomerization) are thermodynamically very adverse, hence appear only as traces in the products. These intermediates (which are generally olefinic) are highly reactive in acid catalysis, which explains that the rates of bifunctional catalysis transformations are relatively high. The activity, stability, and selectivity of bifunctional zeolite catalysts depend mainly on three parameters the zeolite pore structure, the balance between hydrogenating and acid functions, and their intimacy. In most of the commercial processes, the balance is in favor of the hydrogenation function, that is, the transformations are limited by the acid function. 

In principle, bifunctional aldehydes should be able to engage in twofold enzymatic aldol additions to both of their acceptor carbonyls in a fashion to be classified as a tandem reaction, that is, without the need for isolation of intermediates. Depending on the specificity of the enzyme used and on the functionalization in the starting material, the isomeric constitution as well as the absolute and relative stereochemistry should be deliberately addressable. Therefore, we engaged in a program to evaluate the scope and the Hmitations of such two-directional chain elongation processes for the construction of extended poly functional molecules [36]. 

The platforming catalyst was the first example of a reforming catalyst having two functions.43 44 93 100-103 The functions of this bifunctional catalyst consist of platinum-catalyzed reactions (dehydrogenation of cycloalkanes to aromatics, hydrogenation of olefins, and dehydrocyclization) and acid-catalyzed reactions (isomerization of alkanes and cycloalkanes). Hyrocracking is usually an undesirable reaction since it produces gaseous products. However, it may contribute to octane enhancement. n-Decane, for example, can hydrocrack to C3 and C7 hydrocarbons the latter is further transformed to aromatics. 

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. 

Feolite catalysts modified by transition metals are interesting and difficult subjects to study. In one of the first studies of zeolites as catalysts, Rabo and co-workers (1) used a zeolite catalyst containing 0.5% platinum for isomerization of n-paraffins. In this reaction the metal-zeolite system acted as a typical representative of the bifunctional catalysts. Studies of zeolites modified by transition metals ( 2, 3, Jf) showed that their polyfunctional properties are determined by the structural and chemical properties of the zeolite and by the state of the metal in it. In this paper we discuss new data on the metal state after reduction as well as the catalytic functions of zeolite catalysts containing nickel and platinum. 

These heterogeneous catalysts consist of muitimetallic clusters, containing metals, such as platinum, iridium, or rhenium, supported on porous acidic oxide supports, such as alumina. The catalysts are said to be bifunctional because both the metal and the oxide play a part in the reactions. The metal is believed to carry out reversible dehydrogenation of paraffins to olefins, while the oxide is believed to carry out isomerization. 

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