Co-reporter: Lei Wang, Yujing Chen, Shaohua Jin, Xiao Chen, and Changhai Liang
pp: 3403
Publication Date(Web):March 21, 2016
DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b00360
Hydroconversion of fluorene has been conducted over the zeolites and silica–alumina-supported platinum catalysts. The hydrogenation of aromatic rings, the hydroisomerization of the cycloalkanes, and the cracking reaction over the Pt/Y zeolite catalysts are studied to give a detailed hydroconversion reaction network of fluorene through conversion of the synthesized intermediates. Compared to the β-zeolites and silica–alumina supports used, the dispersed platinum catalysts on the Y-zeolites with unique cage structure and acidic properties selectively catalyze the ring-shift isomerization of perhydrofluorene with high yields of the dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]naphthalene and dodecahydrophenalene. Such hydroisomerization reaction is enhanced above 250 °C, while more cleavage of carbon–carbon bond occurs at higher temperatures (280–290 °C) which lead to the great production of single-ring cycloalkanes and more loss in carbons. In the comparative study of the support effect, an examination of the product yields indicates that mild acidity and unique zeolitic structure of Y-zeolites show a major contribution to the selective ring-shift isomerization of saturated aromatic rings. In addition, the generation of mesopores in the Y-zeolite crystals by postsynthesis alkaline treatment facilitates the mass transfer of compounds and provides an improved yield of isomers.