Pillar interlayered clay minerals (PILCs) prepared using Ga13, GaAl12, Al13, and chromium pillars in combination with the clay mineral montmorillonite were studied for their reactivity in the dehydrocyclodimerization of propane. The results were compared to those obtained for Ga-H-ZSM-5, the zeolite catalyst which is used commercially in this type of reaction. Although the gallium-containing zeolite was found to be the most efficient catalyst under the conditions used, significant differences in reactivity were found among the pillared materials examined. These differences were attributed to the activity imparted by the pillars themselves. Of the pillared clays, the Ga13-pillared montmorillonite was found to be most effective for this reaction, and it also exhibited better selectivity for benzene production than did the gallium zeolite catalyst. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.
