Kinetics of Vapor-Phase Alkylation of Benzene with Isopropyl Alcohol over Commercial H-Mordenite Catalyst

Abstract

Alkylation of benzene with isopropyl alcohol to produce cumene was carried out in the vapor phase over commercial H-mordenite catalyst in a fixed-bed down-flow laboratory scale reactor. The major by-products in this reaction are m-diisopropylbenzene (MDIPB) and p-diisopropylbenzene (PDIPB). The influences of various process parameters such as temperature, space-time, and benzene-to-isopropyl alcohol mole ratio on conversion and cumene selectivity were studied. The experiments were carried out to choose the zone in which the mass transfer effects were negligible. On the basis of product distribution and informations available in the literature, a mechanism of the cumene synthesis reaction over the catalyst was proposed to explain the course of the reaction. On the basis of product distribution pattern, a kinetic model for the cumene synthesis reaction was developed following Langmuir-Hinshelwood approach. The kinetic and adsorption parameters of the rate equation were determined by non-linear regression analysis. The apparent activation energy for the main reaction was evaluated.