Hydroisomerization of n-heptane on the Pt/H3PW12O40/Zr-MCM-41 catalysts

Catalytic properties of the 1 wt.%Pt/25 wt.%H3PW12O40/Zr-MCM-41-n (designated as Pt/HPW/WSZn, where n = Si/Zr = 25, 15, 8, 4, respectively) catalysts were evaluated in a microreactor system for the hydroisomerization of n-heptane at atmospheric condition. Catalytic results show that tungstophosphoric acid promoted mesoporous Pt/Zr-MCM-41 catalysts have potential important for the commercialization of n-heptane isomerization due to their high activity and unique selectivity to multibranched isoheptanes. It was found that 2-methylhexane was predominant in the monobranched isoheptanes and 2,3-dimethylpentane was the prevailing compound in the multibranched products. In the cracking products, only butane (isobutane and n-butane) and propane were formed. The formation of the multibranched isoheptanes had a close correlation with the mesopore diameters of the catalysts. The isomerization selectivity could be expressed by a parameter SP, which is defined as a comprehensive function of Brönsted acid density, metal dispersion and geometry of the catalysts. The reaction mechanisms involving the formations of monobranched and multibranched isoheptanes as well as cracking products were discussed and postulated.

Graphical abstractHigh molar ratio (R) of multibranched to monobranched isoheptanes in the products varying between 0.8 and 1.2 was obtained by the hydroisomerization of n-heptane over the Pt/H3PW12O40/Zr-MCM-41 catalysts. The R-value is several times higher than that obtained by using zeolite-containing catalysts at similar reaction conditions.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide