Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis (Dec 2018)

Preparation of 2-Methylnaphthalene from 1-Methylnaphthalene via Catalytic Isomerization and Crystallization

  • Hao Sun,
  • Kang Sun,
  • Jianchun Jiang,
  • Zhenggui Gu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.13.3.2650.512-519
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
pp. 512 – 519

Abstract

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Large amounts of residual 1-methylnaphthalene are generated when 2-methylnaphthalene is extracted from alkyl naphthalene. In order to transform waste into assets, this study proposes a feasible process for preparing 2-methylnaphthalene from 1-methylnaphthalene through isomerization and crystallization. The 1-methylnaphthalene isomerization was carried out in a fixed-bed reactor over mixed acids-treated HBEA zeolite. The results showed that acidic properties of catalysts and reaction temperature were associated with the 2-methylnaphthalene selectivity, yield and catalytic stability. At a high reaction temperature of 623 K, the 2-methylnaphthalene yield was 65.84 %, and the deactivation rate was much lower. The separation of reaction products was then investigated by two consecutive crystallization processes. Under optimal conditions, the 2-methylnaphthalene purity attained 96.67 % in the product, while the yield was 87.48 % in the refining process.

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