Influence of dehydrating agents on the oxidative carbonylation of methanol for dimethyl carbonate synthesis over a Cu/Y-zeolite catalyst

摘要

The influence of the dehydration by metal oxides on the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate(DMC) via oxidative carbonylation of methanol was studied. A Cu/Y-zeolite catalyst was prepared by the ion exchange method from CuCl_2·2 H_2O and the commercial NH_4-form of the Y type zeolite. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray fluorescence(XRF), N_2 adsorption(BET method), X-ray diffraction(XRD), and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia(NH_3-TPD) to evaluate its Cu and Cl content, surface area, structure, and acidity. Reaction tests were carried out using an autoclave(batch reactor) for 18 h at 403 K and 5.5 MPa(2CH_3OH + 1/2O_2+CO?(CH_3O)_2CO + H_2O). The influence of various dehydrating agents(ZnO, MgO, and CaO) was examined with the aim of increasing the methanol conversion(X_(MeOH), MeOH conversion). The MeOH conversion increased upon addition of metal oxides in the order CaO >> MgO > ZnO, with the DMC selectivity(SDMC) following the order MgO >CaO > ZnO. The catalysts and dehydrating agents were characterized before and after the oxidative carbonylation of methanol by thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric(TG/DTG), and XRD to confirm that the dehydration reaction occurred via the metal oxide(MO + H_2O → M(OH)_2). The MeOH conversion increased from 8.7% to 14.6% and DMC selectivity increased from 39.0% to 53.1%, when using the dehydrating agent CaO.