ABSTRACT
The catalytic hydrocracking reaction pathways, kinetics and mechanisms of 1-methyl naphthalene and phenanthrene were investigated in experiments at 350 °C and 68.1 atm H2 partial pressure (190.6 atm total pressure), using a presulfided NiAV on USY zeolite catalyst. 1-methyl naphthalene hydrocracking led to 2-methyl naphthalene, methyl tetralins, methyl decalins, pentyl benzene and tetralin. Phenanthrene hydrocracking led to dihydro, tetrahydro and octahydro phenanthrene, butyl naphthalene, tetralin to butyl 422tetralin and dibutyl benzene. The rate constants for the dealkylation of butyl tetralins produced in the phenanthrene hydrocracking network conform to a linear free energy relationship (LFER), with the heat of formation of the leaving alkyl carbenium ion as the reactivity index.
