Simultaneous synthesis of styrene and aniline over activated carbon catalysts. Influence of the surface chemistry

Activated carbons prepared from different precursors and two commercial carbons were applied as catalysts of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation carried out in the presence of nitrobenzene as an oxidiser (ODE-N process). Using of nitrobenzene enabled obtaining not only styrene, but also second industrially important product – aniline. Prior to the reaction some activated carbon samples were modified by oxidation with an air/helium mixture in order to generate carbonyl (quinone) structures on their surfaces, which are expected to be active centres of the process. The results obtained show that all samples prepared catalysed the ODE-N reaction and both surface texture and surface chemistry are important in the catalytic behaviour of activated carbons in this process.

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► Oxidised activated carbons were prepared using different precursors.
► Activity of carbons in dehydrogenation/hydrogenation coupled process was determined.
► Oxidised samples were more effective catalysts in this process than the initial ones.
► Activity of the catalysts is probably affected by the carbonyl/quinone groups.