Amorphous aluminosilicate catalysts for hydroxyalkylation of aniline and phenol

Amorphous aluminosilicates with controlled porosity in the region of micro-pores (ERS-8, SA) and meso-pores (MCM-41, HMS and MSA) have been compared as catalysts in the hydroxyalkylation of phenol with acetone and of aniline with formaldehyde. The comparison has also included two commercial silica–alumina gels and H-Beta.In the hydroxylakylation of phenol with acetone to bisphenol A (BPA), the catalysts have been compared by batch test in terms of activity and selectivity. In the hydroxylakylation of aniline with formaldehyde, also the catalyst life has been investigated. As a general behavior, mesoporous aluminosilicates have evidenced better catalytic activity, selectivity and longer catalyst life than both microporous ones and commercial silica–alumina gels. In the hydroxyalkylation of aniline to methylenedianiline (MDA), mesoporous MSA have shown similar performances of H-Beta in term of MDA yields, but lower catalyst life.