Abstract
Two amorphous mesoporous silica-aluminas (MSA and MCM-41) are compared with the amorphous microporous silica-alumina (ERS-8) and the zeolite beta in the liquid-phase alkylation of toluene with propylene. The catalytic activity, the selectivity to o-, m- and p-cymenes and the formation of polyalkylates are discussed as a function of acidity and porosity. The catalytic behaviour of MSA, MCM-41, ERS-8 and zeolite beta is also compared with data reported in the literature for traditional alkylation catalysts (AlCl3–HCl and supported phosphoric acid, SPA) and for other acidic zeolites. MSA and MCM-41 show alkylation activities comparable with zeolite beta, while their isomerization and transalkylation activities are lower than those of zeolite beta and AlCl3–HCl, but similar to SPA. Such behaviour is in agreement with the Brønsted acidity of the materials studied.
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