Claims
- 1. In a process for producing an alkylated aromatic amine by contacting an aromatic amine with an olefin in the presence of a zeolitic catalyst system, the improvement wherein enhanced activity and selectivity to ortho-alkylated amine product is obtained which comprises contacting the aromatic amine and olefin with a highly acidic zeolite having a acidity factor such that at least 0.3 mm ammonia are irreversibly absorbed at 200.degree. C. per gram of catalyst for 2 hours and which has been partially dealuminated in an amount sufficient to remove at least 10% by weight by the original alumina from the zeolite.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein said aromatic amine contains at least one ring hydrogen adjacent to an amino group and at least one hydrogen on an amine nitrogen or on a ring carbon not adjacent to an amino group and is represented by one of the formulas ##STR4## where R is C.sub.1-10 alkyl, phenyl, halogen, alkoxy, ester or nitrile; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each selected from hydrogen or C.sub.1-10 alkyl, x is 0 to 2, A is C.sub.0-4 alkylene, Y is 1 or 2 except one y in formula I can be zero and provided not more than one R is alkoxy, ester or nitrile.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the cation in said zeolite is mainly the hydrogen ion or is ion exchanged with rare earth metals and the acidity factor is at least 0.6.
- 4. The process of claim 2 wherein said olefin is a C.sub.2 to C.sub.12 aliphatic, acyclic or cyclic olefin.
- 5. The process of claim 3 wherein said reaction temperature is from 50.degree. to 450.degree. C.
- 6. The process of claim 4 wherein the reaction pressure is from about atmospheric to 3000 psig.
- 7. The process of claim 5 wherein the partially dealuminated zeolite has a silica to alumina mole ratio of 8-20:1.
- 8. The process of claim 6 wherein the molar ratio of olefin to aromatic amine is from about 0.5-20:1.
- 9. The process of claim 7 wherein the olefin is a C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 olefin.
- 10. The process of claim 8 wherein said partially dealuminated zeolite is selected from a group consisting mordenite, offretite, X, Y, omega and L.
- 11. The process of claim 9 wherein said aromatic amine is represented by formula II.
- 12. The process of claim 10 wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are hydrogen.
- 13. The process of claim 11 wherein R is methyl and x is 0 or 1.
- 14. The process of claim 12 wherein said olefin is propylene.
- 15. The process of claim 14 wherein said aromatic amine is aniline.
- 16. The process of claim 13 wherein said zeolite is a dealuminated hydrogen ion exchanged mordenite.
- 17. The process of claim 16 wherein said mordenite has a silica to alumina mole ratio of 8-20:1.
- 18. The process of claim 12 wherein said zeolite is a partially dealuminated hydrogen exchanged Y zeolite.
- 19. The process of claim 5 wherein said zeolite is H-mordenite, said aromatic amine is aniline and said olefin is propylene.
Parent Case Info
This commonly assigned application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 796465 having a filing date of Nov. 8, 1985 now U.S. Pat. No.4,740,620, the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference and a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 848,000 having a filing date of Apr. 2, 1986 now abandoned, the subject matter being incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (14)
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DEX |
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FRX |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
796465 |
Nov 1985 |
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