On the Study of Operating Conditions of Cumene Disproportionation over a Commercial Mordenite

Abstract

Cumene disproportionation, particularly catalytic stability, was studied over various 12-member ring zeolites, among which mordenite gives the simplest product composition with a reasonable activity and catalytic stability. Mordenite modified with Pt incorporation or chemical vapor deposition of silica all shows deteriorated disproportionation selectivity and catalytic stability. It was found that the optimal operating condition is in the “vapor−liquid coexist regime”. For example, under 473 K, 2.1 MPa, 0.7 h-1 WHSV, and a hydrogen-to-cumene mole ratio of 1.38, the mordenite catalyst can keep a cumene conversion of 50% (which is the approximate equilibrium conversion) with a di-i-propylbenzene selectivity of nearly 100% for 300 h without notable aging.