Claims
- 1. In a process for the dehydrogenation of 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 or 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 para-ethyltoluene is contacted with a catalyst composition additionally consisting essentially of a modifying component (d) being capable of enhancing the preferential formation of para-methylstyrene, the modifying component (d) consisting essentially of about 2% to 10% by weight of the catalyst composition of a caLcium compound, calculated as calcium 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 4% by weight of the calcium compound.
- 4. A process in accordance with claim 3 wherein the 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 conposition is substantially free of clay material.
- 6. In a process for the dehydrogenation of 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 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 para-ethyltoluene is contacted with a catalyst composition additionally consisting essentially of a modifying component (d) being capable of enhancing the preferential formation of para-methylstyrene, the modifying component (d) consisting essentially of about 2% to 10% by weight of the catalytic composition of a calcium compound, calculated as calcium oxide.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 444,907, filed on Dec. 15, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,163.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0916114 |
Jan 1963 |
GBX |
0162314 |
Sep 1964 |
SUX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
449907 |
Dec 1982 |
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