A shaped binderless ZSM-11 zeolite catalyst for direct amination of isobutene to tert -butylamine

A shaped binderless and two binder-containing ZSM-11 zeolite catalysts were prepared and char-acterized by powder X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption-desorption, and pyridine adsorption-infrared measurements. The binderless catalyst was synthesized using a dry-gel conversion technique, in which 1,6-hexanediamine and tetrabutylammonium bromide were used as structure-directing agents and no other alkaline materials were added. The catalytic performance of the zeolites in the direct amination of isobutene to tert -butylamine was evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor. By virtue of its high crystallinity as well as its good mechanical strength, the shaped binderless ZSM-11 catalyst showed a higher rate of formation of tert -butylamine than did the binder-containing catalysts.