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Abstract

The hydrogenolysis and isomerization of o-, m-, and p-xylene, ethylbenzene, n-propyl-and isopropylbenzene, n-, sec-, and tert-butyl-, and isobutylbenzene in the presence of molybdena-alumina catalysts having aluminas of various intrinsic acidities have been studied. The experiments were made under 10 atm of pressure and at temperatures ranging from 420 ° in the case of t-butylbenzene to 510 ° in the case of xylenes. The temperature depended on the ease of hydrogenolysis of the hydrocarbons. The molal ratio of hydrogen to hydrocarbons used was 5 to 10 moles of hydrogen per mole of hydrocarbons.The hydrogenolysis of isopropyl-, sec-butyl-, and tert-butylbenzene to benzene and to the corresponding alkanes is facilitated by the intrinsic acidity of the aluminas used in the preparation of the catalyst.Skeletal isomerization of n-butylbenzene to sec-butyl- and isobutylbenzene, sec-butylbenzene to n-butyl- and isobutylbenzene, and that of isobutylbenzene to sec-and n-butylbenzene increases with the acidity of the alumina.The selectivity of the hydrogenolysis of αβ and βγ bonds in alkylbenzenes is not influenced by the acidity of the aluminas.