Abstract
THE cyclization of C6 and C7n-alkanes to form aromatic compounds is highly desirable in the petroleum-refining industry. Platinum metal clusters incorporated into the channels of zeolite L have been found to catalyse the aromatization of hexane and heptane with high activity and selectivity1,2. The susceptibility of this catalyst to sulphur poisoning, however, means that the hydrocarbon reagents must be of high purity, free from sulphur contamination2. It has been generally believed that the pore structure of the zeolite plays an important part in the selectivity of the catalytic process. Here we describe a non-porous platinum catalyst that can convertn-hexane to benzene with an activity and selectivity comparable to that of the zeolite. The catalyst consists of platinum clusters, about 2 nm in diameter, supported on a basic, high-surface-area magnesium oxide stabilized by aluminium. The product distribution for n-hexane is almost identical to that obtained using the zeolite L catalyst. These results point to a new approach to hydrocarbon reforming based on metal species supported on highly basic, non-porous carriers.
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