Evidence for an initiation of the methanol-to-olefin process by reactive surface methoxy groups on acidic zeolite catalysts

Recent progress reveals that, in the methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process on acidic zeolites, the conversion of an equilibrium mixture of methanol and DME is dominated by a "hydrocarbon pool" mechanism. However, the initial C-C bond formation, that is, the chemistry during the kinetic "induction period" leading to the reactive hydrocarbon pool, still remains unclear. With the application of a stopped-flow protocol, in the present work, pure surface methoxy groups [SiO(CH3)Al] were prepared on various acidic zeolite catalysts (H-Y, H-ZSM-5, H-SAPO-34) at temperatures lower than 473 K, and the further reaction of these methoxy species was investigated by in situ C-13 MAS NMR spectroscopy. By using toluene and cyclohexane as probe molecules which are possibly involved in the MTO process, we show the high reactivity of surface methoxy species. Most importantly, the formation of hydrocarbons from pure methoxy species alone is demonstrated for the first time. It was found that (i) surface methoxy species react at room temperature with water to methanol, indicating the occurrence of a chemical equilibrium between these species at low temperatures. In the presence of aromatics and alkanes, (ii) the reactivity of surface methoxy groups allows a methylation of these organic compounds at reaction temperatures of ca. 433 and 493 K, respectively. In the absence of water and other organic species, that is, under flow conditions and on partially methylated catalysts, (iii) a conversion of pure methoxy groups alone to hydrocarbons was observed at temperatures of T greater than or equal to 523 K. This finding indicates a possible formation of the first hydrocarbons during the kinetic induction period of the MTO process via the conversion of pure surface methoxy species (case iii). After the first hydrocarbons are formed, or in the presence of a small amount of organic impurities, surface methoxy groups contribute to a further methylation of these organic compounds (case ii), leading to the formation of a reactive hydrocarbon pool which eventually plays an active role in the steady state of the MTO process at reaction temperatures of T greater than or equal to 573 K.