Sulfonated catalysts for methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME)

Abstract Sulfonic acids grafted on inorganic support such as SiO 2 and MCM41 was used as catalysts for conversion of methanol to dimethyl ether. In this experimental work the catalysts were compared for their catalytic properties in a continuous flow fixed-bed reactor at temperatures between 180 and 320 °C and 1 bar. It was found that all SO 3 H-functionalized materials in this study were active, selective and stable for DME synthesis. According to the experimental results MCM-41-(CH 2 ) 3 -SO 3 H exhibited the best performance, related to its higher surface area and acidity.