Sorption and exchange patterns of benzene-phenolic mixtures over faujasite catalyst: Relevance to phenol ethylation

Abstract

Competitive sorption experiments showed that phenol (and anisole) was sorbed preferentially over benzene on hydrogen Y-zeolite at 130 °C. Using benzene- d 6, isotopic exchange patterns of these compounds were observed. Benzene- d 6, although less strongly sorbed, communicated with the zeolite surface as shown by isotopic exchange. The deuterium thus exchanged onto the surface was subsequently transferred into the nuclear as well as hydroxyl hydrogen positions of phenol. Further, a temperature higher than 200 °C was required to desorb the phenolic compounds. These data provide an explanation of some apparent anomalies previously observed in phenol ethylation.