Aluminum chloride grafted mesoporous molecular sieves as alkylation catalysts

The aim of this work is to study the influence of different mesoporous molecular sieves (MMSs) type and the effect of pore diameter on MMSs silica grafted aluminum chloride catalysts and their activity in benzene alkylation by 1-dodecene. Four samples (two hexagonal and two wormhole like structures with different pore diameters) were prepared by post-synthesis grafting reaction in moisture free conditions (Schlenk technique). The physico-chemical properties were monitored by N2 adsorption, XRD, atomic adsorption, 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR. Acidity data were obtained by TPD of ammonia, and FTIR of adsorbed pyridine. The alkylation of benzene is carried out in a Schlenk tube under dry conditions at room temperature. The products were analyzed by GC-MS. Grafting aluminum chloride on MMSs increases the yield of monoalkylated products.