Kinetics of the reaction of toluene with benzyl alcohol over a Nafion–silica composite

Abstract

The title reaction, a set of concurrent–consecutive steps, was studied in a slurry batch reactor at 50, 65, and 75 °C, using cyclohexane as solvent and Nafion SAC-13 as solid acid catalyst. The final products were found to be dibenzylether, the isomers of benzyltoluene and dibenzyltoluenes and small amounts of unidentified byproducts. The kinetic results were interpreted by a Langmuir–Hinshelwood model, evaluating the main kinetics and adsorption coefficient involved in the reactions and their temperature dependence.