ABSTRACT
Tamaulipas, Azcapotzalco, México 02200, D.F. 2Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, San Rafael Atlixco No 152,
México 09340, D.F.
E-mail: gomr@xanum.uam.mx
Abstract In this work, the performance of two green acid catalysts, a TiO2 synthesized by the sol-gel method and sulfated in situ was compared with a traditional NiY zeolite in the trimerization of isobutene. The reaction was carried out at mild conditions: atmospheric pressure and 40°C of temperature. The results obtained in the catalytic evaluation showed higher conversion and stability as well as a better selectivity to tri-isobutylene for the sulfated titania catalyst with respect to the NiY zeolite. Introduction The oligomerization of isobutene is carried out firstly in order to get diisobutylene as a product of the dimerization of isobutene, because of the high octane number of this compound, which could be an interesting alternative to the MTBE plants substitution. However, this process, like other petrochemical processes, use strong mineral acids HF, H2SO4 and H3PO4 as catalysts, in liquid form or impregnated over a solid support, which are environmentally corrosive and pollutant. It is desirable the substitution of these materials with green, environmental friendly catalyst. Several works focused in this subject has been published, including thermodynamic studies [1], kinetic studies [2-4], new acid catalyst evaluation and characterization [5-13], process design [14-16] and uses of the product [17-19]. However, in the present paper our attention will be devoted to the study of the trimerization of isobutene, due to the economical interest in the industrial application of triisobutylene, as a source of neoacid compounds [20], for the production of dodecylbencene used in the fabrication of biodegradable detergents or for gas-oil additives [21].
