Clay‐Based Solid Acid Catalyst for the Alkylation of p‐Cresol with tert‐Butyl Alcohol. Issue 2 (16th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muraleedharan, Lakshmy; Bellundagere, ; Chandrashekara, M.; Bangalore, ; Prakash, S. Jai; Yajnavalkya, ; Bhat, S.
• Is Part Of: ChemistrySelect. Volume 3:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 801
• Page End: 808
• Publication Date: 2018-01-16
• Subjects: 2-tert-Butyl p-cresol -- p-Cresol -- Microwave -- p-Toluenesulphonic acid -- VAF; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1002/slct.201702098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2365-6549

Abstract

Abstract: Dealuminated montmorillonite, prepared by p ‐toluenesulphonic acid (pTSA) treatment, was found to be an efficient catalyst in the liquid phase alkylation of p ‐cresol (PC) with tert ‐butyl alcohol (TBA) in the synthesis of 2 ‐tert ‐butyl p ‐cresol (2‐TBC). Comparative studies revealed that catalytic activity of montmorillonite clay sample treated with 0.5 M pTSA (D3‐MMT) was superior to aluminium exchanged montmorillonite (Ex‐MMT) and zeolites (beta and HZSM‐5) during alkylation reaction under microwave irradiation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG‐DTG) showed that the deactivation of zeolites was mainly due to coke formation. Correlation studies were made for D3‐MMT catalyst between volume accessibility factor (VAF) and PC conversion. These studies suggested that mesopores and types of acidities (Brønsted, Lewis and combination of both) generated after pTSA treatment were found to play role supplementing each other in enhancing the PC conversion. The regenerated catalyst recovered from the reaction mixture under microwave heating retained its catalytic activity after three cycles under optimized conditions. Abstract : Clay based catalyst obtained by pTSA treatment of the montmorillonite clay. Catalytic alkylation of PC with TBA was carried out under microwave irradiation. Catalytic activity of D3‐MMT was superior to catalyst Ex‐MMT and zeolites. Volume Accessibility factor (VAF) of the modified catalyst were correlated with PC conversion. Acidity and mesopores formed during pTSA treatment enhance the catalytic activity.