Theoretical studies of pentene cracking on zeolites: C–C β-scission processes

Abstract

The C–C bond-breaking step of pentene adsorbed on a model zeolite cluster is examined using ab initio and density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) electronic structure techniques as an example of the β-scission process that arises in cracking of alkanes and alkenes. After pentene has been protonated by the acid site, the reactant for the cracking process corresponds to a pentyl cation covalently bound to the oxygen of the zeolite, ZO −–C 5H + 11. The product of the C–C bond-breaking process is propene plus an ethyl cation bound to a neighboring oxygen. The energy of the transition state relative from B3LYP calculations is 60 kcal/mol relative to the pentyl cationic reactant. For the case of the branched olefin methyl pentene, the transition state energy is slightly lower (55 kcal/mol), but the overall reaction energy is essentially the same as for pentene. The results are compared to the case of the gas phase pentyl carbenium ion.