Hydrogenation of alkylaromatics over Rh/silica

Alshehri, F., Weinart, H. M. and Jackson, S. D. (2017) Hydrogenation of alkylaromatics over Rh/silica. Reaction Kinetics, Mechanisms and Catalysis, 122(2), pp. 699-714. (doi: 10.1007/s11144-017-1251-6)

Abstract

The hydrogenation, and competitive hydrogenation, of toluene, ethylbenzene, propylbenzene and the xylenes has been studied over a rhodium catalyst in the liquid phase at 323 K and 3 bar(g). The reactivity of the aromatics gave an order of para-xylene > ortho-xylene > meta-xylene > toluene > ethylbenzene ≫ propylbenzene. Kinetic analysis revealed that the order of reaction in hydrogen was typically first order while the reaction order in toluene was zero order and negative half order for ethylbenzene. The reaction order for propylbenzene and the xylenes was negative first order. Apparent activation energies were calculated and all were in the range 26–46 kJ mol−1. Competitive hydrogenation between toluene, ethylbenzene and propylbenzene revealed that the propylbenzene was the most strongly adsorbed aromatic in agreement with the strongly negative reaction order. The xylenes gave an order of reactivity of para > ortho > meta following the increasing negative reaction order. Reactions with deuterium revealed an inverse kinetic isotope effect, most likely related to the change in hybridization of the carbon from sp2 to sp3, for all reactions, except that of ortho-xylene. Rapid exchange of the methyl group hydrogens was observed with all the xylenes, whereas total exchange was noted with toluene. The generation of trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane was explained by the formation of two intermediates, 1,2-dimethylcyclohexene and 1,6-dimethylcyclohexene, which give the cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane and trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane, respectively.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Jackson, Professor David and ALSHEHRI, Feras
• Authors: Alshehri, F., Weinart, H. M., and Jackson, S. D.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Reaction Kinetics, Mechanisms and Catalysis
• Publisher: Akadémiai Kiadó
• ISSN: 1878-5190
• ISSN (Online): 1878-5204
• Published Online: 28 August 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary
• First Published: First published in Reaction Kinetics, Mechanisms and Catalysis 122(2):699-714
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.