MSE-Type Zeolites: A Promising Catalyst for the Conversion of Ethene to Propene

Abstract

Over the last two decades much attention has been directed toward the production of propene, mainly due to the higher demand for polypropene than polyethene. One attractive method is direct conversion of ethene to propene (ETP), particularly when this reaction is combined with the dehydration of bioethanol, a renewable feedstock for ethene production. After some time on stream, H-UZM-35, an MSE-type large-pore zeolite, shows much better propene yield than H-SSZ-13, the best catalyst for the ETP reaction thus far. The key to this improvement is the presence of large cylindrical cages in H-UZM-35 that allows the easy formation of isopropylnaphthalene-based reaction centers for ETP catalysis, while being relatively resistant to coke formation. Furthermore, we also describe that the combination of H-UZM-35 with mild dealumination was found to mitigate catalyst deactivation.