Hydroconversion of aromatics on metal-zeolite catalysts

The hydroconversion of benzene and a benzene-toluene mixture was studied over Pd-, Ni-, Cr- and Ni-Cr-ZSM-5 zeolites. Acidity of samples was measured by low temperature IR spectra of adsorbed CO. It was found that selectivity of the catalysts depends on their bifunctional properties. Conversion of aromatics decreases as the reaction temperature increased, except in the case of Pd-ZSM-5 zeolites with large metal concentration (0.3 wt.%). Yield of naphthenes grows with increasing concentration of the isolated metal ions.