Ring opening of hydrocarbons for diesel and aromatics production: Design of heterogeneous catalytic systems

•LCO and Pygas valorization is necessary for approved fuel properties.•Catalytic ring opening reaction is becoming a suitable industrial option.•Supported metals, carbides and zeolites are attractive upgrading catalysts.•The paper examined critical literature on the catalysts design and evaluation.•Directions for further studies were identified for the benefit of researchers.

The valorization of light cycle oil (LCO) and pyrolysis gasoline (i.e. Pygas) via ring opening reaction (ROR) presents an industrial opportunity for improving the cetane and octane properties of diesel and gasoline fuels, respectively. One major challenge is the design of suitable catalysts that are optimally active, selective and very stable. The paper therefore covered a review of critical studies conducted with the view of achieving these properties. Catalysts based on metals-promoted oxides, carbides, sulfides and modified-zeolites have so far been investigated. The paper therefore discusses the progress made and identified issues for further investigations. Issues such as the role of catalyst compositions, acidity, topology and textural properties on the activity–stability properties were examined.