Diffusion Controlled Alkylation of Aromatic Compounds in Cation-Exchanged ZSM-5 Zeolites

Diffusion Controlled Alkylation of Aromatic Compounds in Cation-Exchanged ZSM-5 Zeolites

Using uniform flat plate-like samples of ZSM-5 zeolites, diffusion coefficients were measured volumetrically for the diffusion of xylene, ethyltoluene and diethylbenzene by direct measurement of sorption rate. Toluene disproportionation over H(100)-, K(72)-and Cs(82)-ZSM-5 at 773 K and toluene methylation, toluene ethylation and ethylbenzene ethylation over Cs(75)-ZSM-5 at 623 K were carried out. The selective formation of para xylene during the toluene disproportionation, presumably due to the increased tortuosity over Cs-ZSM-5, could be explained by smaller diffusion coefficient in Cs-ZSM-5 than in K-and H-ZSM-5. The para selectivity increased in the order; toluene methylation < toluene ethylation < ethylbenzene ethylation. As the chain length of the alkyl substituent in dialkylbenzenes is increased, the para selectivity of the products was improved. It may be attributed to the differences in the ratios of diffusion coefficient of para products to that of ortho ones. Diffusion coefficient of m-xylene was about 1 order of magnitude smaller than that of o-xylene.