Deoxygenation of m-toluic acid over hierarchical x zeolite

•X zeolite with mesoporosity was obtained using sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate.•Deoxygenation of m-toluic acid was achieved over NaX zeolite.•NaXSDBS was the best zeolite due to the mesoporosity obtained.•Solvent with low methylation capacity was necessary to obtain toluene.

Catalytic activity of FAU zeolites was tested on the deoxygenation of m-toluic acid at atmospheric pressure and without feeding hydrogen. Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate was used as template to obtain a certain mesoporosity in the NaX zeolite. The mesoporosity improved the catalytic activity. This zeolite showed a good activity catalytic increasing the toluene yield to 40%, reducing the oxygen content in the reaction products, and decreasing the esterification reaction. The catalytic activity was kept without deactivation of the catalyst.

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