Process for selective diisopropylation of naphthyl compounds using shape selective acidic crystalline molecular sieve catalysts

摘要

The selective isopropylation of a naphthyl compound to diisopropylnaphthalene enhanced in the 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer is obtained in the presence of an acidic crystalline molecular sieve catalyst having twelve membered oxygen rings. The catalyst pore aperture dimension ranges from 5.5 Å to 7.0 Å. The use of these shape selective catalysts results in a diisopropylnaphthalene stream which is enhanced in &bgr; isomers and enhanced in the desired 2,6- diisopropylnaphthalene isomer. A particularly preferred catalyst is synthetic Mordenite. Specific catalyst modifications are also described to improve selectivity to the desired 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene isomer.