Activation of C2–C4 alkanes over acid and bifunctional zeolite catalysts

This review paper presents the significant advances which were made in the last decade in the understanding of the transformation over acid and bifunctional zeolite catalysts of the cheap and readily available C2–C4 alkanes into more valuable products: mechanism of activation, reaction scheme, nature of the active sites. Both the transformations of pure alkanes: n-butane isomerization, C2–C4 alkane aromatization and of alkanes in mixture with alkenes: isobutane–butene alkylation or with aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene alkylation with ethane or propane are considered.

Graphical abstractThis review paper presents the significant advances which were made in the last decade in the understanding of the transformation over acid and bifunctional zeolite catalysts of the cheap and readily available C2–C4 alkanes into more valuable products. Thus, the bifunctional character of the complex aromatization pathway over Ga/HMFI catalysts is now well demonstrated: successive intervention of (probably bifunctional) species containing Ga for dehydrogenation steps and of protonic acid sites for oligomerization and cyclization steps. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide