Claims
- 1. In a process of dehydrogenating para-ethyltoluene to selectively form para-methylstyrene comprising contacting the para-ethyltoluene under dehydrogenation reaction conditions with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of:
- (a) from about 30% to 60% by weight of iron oxide, calculated as ferric oxide;
- (b) from about 13% to 48% by weight of a potassium compound, calculated as potassium oxide; and
- (c) from about 0% to 5% by weight of a chromium compound, calculated as chromic oxide,
- the improvement wherein the process is conducted with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of, in addition to the components (a), (b) and (c), a modifying component (d) capable of enhancing the conversion of para-ethyltoluene when the modified catalyst is used to provide the preferential formation of para-methylstyrene from para-ethyltoluene, the modifying component (d) being a magnesium compound present to the extent of from about 1% to 15% by weight of the catalyst composition, calculated as magnesium oxide.
- 2. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said dehydrogenation conditions include a temperature of from about 500.degree. C. to 700.degree. C., and a liquid hourly space velocity for para-ethyltoluene of from about 0.3 to 3.
- 3. A process in accordance with claim 2 wherein the catalyst composition consists essentially of:
- (a) from about 35% to 55% by weight of the iron oxide;
- (b) from about 27% to 41% by weight of the potassium compound;
- (c) from about 1% to 4% by weight of the chromium compound; and
- (d) from about 2% to 10% by weight of the magnesium compound.
- 4. A process in accordance with claim 3 wherein para-ethyltoluene is contacted with the catalyst in the presence of steam and wherein the weight ratio of steam to para-ethyltoluene ranges from about 1:1 to 5:1.
- 5. A process in accordance with claim 4 wherein the catalyst composition is substantially free of clay material.
- 6. In a process of dehydrogenating para-ethyltoluene to selectively form para-methylstyrene comprising contacting the para-ethyltoluene under dehydrogenation reaction conditions with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of:
- (a) from about 30% to 60% by weight of iron oxide, calculated as ferric oxide;
- (b) from about 13% to 48% by weight of a potassium compound, calculated as potassium oxide;
- (c) from about 0% to about 5% by weight of a chromium compound, calculated as chromic oxide; and
- (d) up to about 20% by weight of an insoluble binder/filler component selected from the group consisting of Portland cement, calcium aluminate, sawdust, carbon, wood flour, graphite, methylcellulose and mixtures thereof,
- the improvement wherein the process is conducted with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of, in addition to the components (a), (b) and (c), a modifying component (d) capable of enhancing the conversion of para-ethyltoluene when the modified catalyst is used to promote the preferential formation of para-methylstyrene from para-ethyltoluene, the modifying component (d) being a magnesium compound present to the extent of from about 1% to 15% by weight of the catalyst composition, calculated as magnesium oxide.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 452,471, filed on Dec. 23, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,662, issued on Jan. 29, 1985.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0613650 |
Jan 1961 |
CAX |
0569195 |
May 1945 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
452471 |
Dec 1982 |
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