Acid activation effect on the catalytic performance of Al-pillared bentonite in alkylation of benzene with olefins

•Acid treatment of bentonite produced materials with different surface characteristics.•Acid-treated Al-pillared samples exhibit high catalytic activity for alkylation of benzene by 1-decene and 1-dodecene.•The catalysts exhibited excellent selectivity and no major side reactions were observed.•Acid-treated pillared catalysts were recyclable.

In this research pillared catalysts were prepared by pillaring of bentonite and acid-treated bentonite with aluminum. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, N2 adsorption isotherms, NH3 temperature programmed desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental and thermal analysis techniques. Acid-treated sample contained lower Al content compared to the untreated sample, but its total pore volumes (TPV) and BET surface area was higher. Alkylation of benzene with linear olefins (1-decene and 1-dodecene) was studied with the prepared catalysts. Acid-activated pillared catalyst, due to its higher surface acidity showed enhanced catalytic activity compared to the untreated sample. The catalysts activity was also enhanced by increasing benzene to olefin molar ratios and reaction temperature. The catalysts showed higher activity when shorter chain hydrocarbon olefin was used. In acid-activated pillared catalysts higher selectivity for 2-phenyl isomer was obtained with 1-dodecene.