PROMOTING EFFECTS OF ALKALINE CATIONS ON THE PD/Y CATALYZED METHYLCYCLOPENTANE CONVERSION

The conversion of methylcyclopentane over Pd/MY zeolites has been studied with catalysts containing Li, Na or K as charge compensating ions M. It is found that in the sequence M = Li, Na, K the activity for ring opening increases, while that for ring enlargement decreases and the benzene/cyclohexane ratio in the ring enlargement product increases. It is proposed that in the sequence M = Li, Na, K the acid strength of zeolite protons is lowered while electron transfer from donor sites to palladium clusters increases from Li to K. © 1990 J.C. Baltzer A.G. Scientific Publishing Company.