Solid acid catalyzed alkylation

The isopentene produced will either be protonated or be added to another carbenium ion. With a butyl cation, this would lead to a nonyl cation. The resultant carbenium ion fragment can accept a hydride and form a product heptane, or it can possibly add a butene to form a Cn cation. With hydride transfer, another alkane with an odd number of carbon atoms is produced. Just this example is sufficient to show the huge variety of possible reactions. By means of gas chromatographic analysis, Albright and Wood (82) found about 100-200 peaks in the C9-C16 region, regardless of the alkene and acid employed. A similar number of products can be observed for solid acid-catalyzed alkylation. 

Fig. 15. UOP Alkylene solid acid-catalyzed alkylation process (237).

LURGI and Siid-Chemie AG are developing a solid acid-catalyzed alkylation process termed LURGI EUROFUEL . The reactor is derived from tray distillation towers. Isobutane and suspended catalyst enter at the top of the... 

Liquid acid-catalyzed processes are mature technologies, which are not expected to undergo dramatic changes in the near future. Solid acid-catalyzed alkylation now has been developed to a point where the technology can compete with the existing processes. Catalyst regeneration by hydrogen treatment is the method of choice in all the process developments. Some of the process developments eliminate most if not all the drawbacks of the liquid acid processes. The verdict about whether solid acid-catalyzed processes will be applied in the near future will be determined primarily by economic issues. 

Feller, A., Zuazo, L, Guzman, A., Barth, J.-O., and Lercher, J.A. (2003) Gommon mechanistic aspects of liquid and solid acid catalyzed alkylation of isobutane with n-butene./. Catal., 216, 313-323. 

Sahebdelfar, S., et al.. Deactivation behavior of the catalyst in solid acid catalyzed alkylation effect of pore mouth plugging. Chemical Engineering Science, 2002. 57 p. 3611-3620. 

SIMPSON ETAL. Zeolitic Solid Acid-Catalyzed Alkylation of Isobutane 107... 

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