Alkylation of Benzene with Isopropyl Alcohol over SAPO-5 Catalyst in an Integral Pressure Reactor

The alkylation of benzene with isopropyl alcohol was studied in an integral pressure reactor over silicon substituted aluminophosphate molecular sieves, SAPO-5. The influence of various process parameters such as temperature, pressure, time on stream, weight hourly space velocity, and mole ratio of reactants on cumene yield and selectivity were investigated. The activity of SAPO-5 was compared with that of Hbeta for this reaction under similar conditions and in the same reactor. At pressures higher than atmospheric, almost the theoretical maximum yields of cumene were achieved on this SAPO-5. Among the diisopropyl benzenes formed by the alkylation of cumene, the meta-isomer was found to form in a significant amount followed by the para-isomer. The ortho-isomer with relatively high strain energy of 4.26 kcal/mol was almost negligible. The cumene yield goes through a maximum in the temperature range 498-543 K studied. Cumene selectivity was found to decrease at higher temperatures, higher pressures and lower benzene to isopropanol mole ratios.