Al2O3-Phosphated Green Catalysts with High Selectivity to Ecological Gasoline C8= by Dimerization of Isobutene.

In this paper, phosphated-alumina prepared from boehmite and phosphoric acid (1, 4, and 6 mmol of PO4(3-)) is proposed as a good alternative catalyst to obtain ecological gasoline by the reaction of dimerization of butenes in gas phase using a flow reactor and mild conditions (60 degrees C and a C4/C4= molar ratio = 1). XRD spectra of the samples showed the formation of the gamma-alumina phase in the solids. BET specific surface area values of the bare alumina were not notably modified when these materials were phosphate, from 180-m2/g to 170 m2/g. All the solids are mesoporous structured materials. FTIR pyridine-adsorption spectra showed the formation of strong Lewis acid sites, which remains stable even at desorption temperatures above 300 degrees C. Bronsted acid sites were not observed on the materials. The phosphated-alumina catalysts were active for the dimerization of isobutene in mild conditions and 100% selectivitiy to C8= olefins was reached without the presence of olefinic compounds with higher molecular weight (trimers, tetramers).