BTX from anisole by hydrodeoxygenation and transalkylation at ambient pressure with zeolite catalysts

BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene) was gained from anisole by gas-phase hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) at ambient pressure with zeolite catalysts. The role of supports such as HBeta, ZSM-5, HY, and γ-Al2O3 was investigated. The effect of temperature and 1/WHSV on the product distribution was also evaluated. The results show that the content of BTX with Fe/Ni/HBeta catalysts, peaked at 24.87%. Fe/Ni/ZSM-5 promoted transalkylation and Fe/Ni/γ-Al2O3 exhibited the lowest anisole conversion of 30%. N2-adsorption, XRD and NH3-TPD analysis of Fe/Ni/supports suggested that BET surface, pore size, amount and intensity of acid sites significantly influenced products distribution. BTX and phenol were mainly products, indicating that hydrogenolysis focused on Caromatic-OCH3 and O-CH3 skeletons, not on π-bone in the anisole ring at ambient pressure. The products such as toluene, xylene, and other multi-methylated aromatics were from transalkylation of benzene and phenol. Fe/Ni supported catalysts were not only beneficial for HDO to remove oxygen but also for transalkylation, mining carbon loss.