Liquid-phase veratrole acylation and toluene alkylation over WO x/ZrO 2 solid acid catalysts

Abstract

The liquid-phase acylation of veratrole with acetic anhydride and alkylation of toluene with 1-dodecene were carried out over WO x /ZrO 2 solid acid catalysts. The catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation method using zirconium oxyhydroxide and ammonium metatungstate. Catalysts with different WO 3 loading (5–30 wt.%) were prepared and calcined at 800 °C and catalyst with 15% WO 3 was calcined from 650 to 850 °C. All the catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, XRD and NH 3-TPD. The catalyst with 15% WO 3 calcined at 800 °C (15 WZ-800) was found to be the most active in acylation and alkylation reactions. The effect of temperature, molar ratio and catalyst weight on the conversions of acetic anhydride and dodecene were studied in detail. The catalyst 15 WZ-800 gave 67% acetic anhydride conversion in veratrole acylation under the reaction conditions of 70 °C, veratrole/acetic anhydride molar ratio 2, time 4 h and 99% dodecene conversion with >99% monododecyl toluene selectivity at 100 °C, toluene/1-dodecene molar ratio 10 and time 1 h.