Catalytic Cracking of Substituted and Unsubstituted Tert-Butylated Arenes in the Gaseous Phase Using the Microcatalytic Pulse Technique I. De-Tert-Butylation of Tert-Butylbenzene Over Clay and Alumina Catalysts

Riyadh Saymeh*, Sadiq A. Saleh and Khaled R. Barqawi

Department of Chemistry, Yarmouk University, Irbid (Jordan)

In the catalytic debutylation of tert-butylbenzene with g-Al2O3 and clay as catalysts using the pulse technique, the main products were isobutene and benzene. The major two products together with the other minor products could be accounted for by the mechanistic approach of the carbocation theory. Comparing the activity of the reaction and selectivities to the reaction of the various products over clay and acidified alumina, the former was found to be superior. The reaction was confirmed to be catalytic not thermal.

Clay; de-tert-butylation; tert-butylbenzene; catalyst; metal oxide; g-Al2O3