The effect of phase transition of methanol on the reaction rate in the alkylation of hydroquinone

An O-alkylation reaction of hydroquinone with excess methanol was carried out by using alkaline metal ion-exchanged zeolite catalysts at various phases of methanol in a slurry type reactor. The amount of methanol, used as a methylating agent and also a solvent, significantly affected the reaction ra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Korean journal of chemical engineering 2009, 26(3), 120, pp.649-653
Main Authors: Park, Jung Je, Lee, Soo Chool, Lee, Sang Sung, Jung, Suk Yong, Lee, Soo Jae, Kim, Jae Chang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biotechnology
Catalysis
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Industrial Chemistry
Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering
Materials Science
Reaction Engineering
화학공학
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Summary:An O-alkylation reaction of hydroquinone with excess methanol was carried out by using alkaline metal ion-exchanged zeolite catalysts at various phases of methanol in a slurry type reactor. The amount of methanol, used as a methylating agent and also a solvent, significantly affected the reaction rate. When the amount of methanol was decreased from 2 mol to 0.6 mol, the reaction rate was increased more than nine times. These changes in the reaction rate could be explained by the pressure change and the phase transition of the reactant, methanol, depending on the temperature and the elimination of a diffusion limitation of reactants through the zeolite pores in a gas phase condition. Thus, higher than 89% selectivity to 4-methoxyphenol was obtained at 80% conversion of hydroquinone at a gas phase reaction condition using 1 mol of methanol for 2 hours.
ISSN:0256-1115
1975-7220
DOI:10.1007/s11814-009-0108-8