KINETICS OF DEACTIVATION OF METHYLATION OF TOLUENE OVER H-ZSM-5 AND HYDROGEN MORDENITE CATALYSTS

A systematic and detailed kinetics and deactivation study on the alkylation of toluene on H-ZSM-5 and hydrogen mordenite (HM) catalysts has been carried out. The reaction was carried out in an atmosphere of hydrogen in a fixed-bed flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. The effects of temperature, product inhibition, and toluene:methanol feed ratio on the rate of reaction were studied. From the product distribution pattern, plausible mechanisms for the main and deactivation reactions have been proposed by using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood approach. The kinetic parameters in the rate equation were determined by use of nonlinear regression analysis, and the activation energies for the main and deactivation reactions were found out. The activation energies for the main and deactivation reaction have been found to be 79.83 +/- 6.31 and 50.40 +/- 6.25 kJ/mol, respectively.