Abstract:
Benzene, which contains at least four substituted halogens, is an effective solvent for a Lewis acid catalyst employed in the isomerization of hydrocarbons. A particularly preferred isomerization solvent is 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene and is used in conjunction with aluminum bromide. In another aspect of this invention, if hydrogen, with or without added hydrogenation components, is added to the catalyst system, the isomerization selectivity of the reaction is greatly improved and the life of the catalyst system itself is greatly enhanced. When substantial amounts of benzene are present in the feed, a hydrogenation component is added to the system so that the benzene is hydrogenated to cyclohexane which is then subsequently isomerized to methylcyclopentane.
Abstract:
A catalyst composition comprising (1) aluminum halo bromides such as aluminum bromide and (2) sulfur oxo halides such as sulfurylfluorochloride stabilizes high alkyl carbonium ion concentrations. The catalyst is useful in isomerization processes for converting normal paraffins and naphthenes to isoparaffins and highly branched naphthenes.