Alkylation of benzene with 1dodecene by macroreticular resin catalysts

Abstract

The alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene was performed in a batch reactor by two types of macroreticular ion exchange resin catalysts, i.e., Amberlyst 15 and Amberlyst XN-1010. The external mass transfer resistance and the macropore diffusion resistance could well be neglected since the stirring speed and the resin particle size had little effect on the reaction rate. The experimental data on the initial reaction rates have been correlated fairly well with the Rideal kinetics, from which the reaction rate constant, the distribution coefficient and the adsorption equilibrium constant were estimated. The activation energy of alkylation was about 7 Kcal/g mole. It is believed that the isomerization occurs prior to the final attachment of the phenyl group to the alkyl chain. This was explained by the isomer distribution of phenyldodecane, which was not influenced very much by the reaction time, the temperature, and the feed composition.