Kinetic Model for the Etherification of 2,4,4-Trimethyl-1-pentene and 2,4,4-Trimethyl-2-pentene with Methanol

Abstract

Etherification of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene with methanol was catalyzed with a novel Smopex-101 catalyst, which is a polyethylene-based ion-exchange fiber. Several kinetic models were tested to describe the experimental data. The Langmuir−Hinshelwood-type model, in which the adsorption of alkenes is assumed to be weak relative to methanol and ether, described the data well. The activation energies obtained for the etherification of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene were 86 ± 1 and 80 ± 2 kJ/mol, respectively. These values are on the same level as those typically found for similar etherification reactions. An equally good fit was obtained with the Eley−Rideal-type model, which assumes that the alkenes react without adsorption. In both models the adsorption constants for methanol and ether are of the same order of magnitude. This constitutes a significant difference from the modeling results obtained with conventional ion-exchange resin catalysts and can b...