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Catalysis : an Integrated Approach to Homogeneous ...

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2 - CATALYTIC PROCESSES IN INDUSTRY 27<br />

naphta feed- -<br />

furnace reac<strong>to</strong>r furnace reac<strong>to</strong>r furnace reac<strong>to</strong>r separa<strong>to</strong>r distillation separa<strong>to</strong>r<br />

The mech<strong>an</strong>ism<br />

Fig. 2.2. Catalytic reforming.<br />

In catalytic cracking m<strong>an</strong>y reactions take place simult<strong>an</strong>eously. Cracking<br />

occurs by C-C bond cleavage of paraffins, dealkylation etc. Isomerization <strong>an</strong>d<br />

even condensation reactions also take place. These reactions occur via positiv-<br />

ely charged hydrocarbon ions (carbocations). The nature of the carbocations<br />

is the subject of debate. For the cracking of paraffinic hydrocarbons it is<br />

usually assumed that carbenium ions are the crucial intermediates, which<br />

decompose via beta fission in<strong>to</strong> olefins <strong>an</strong>d (smaller) carbenium ions (see<br />

Chapter 4, Section 4.4). A typical reaction mech<strong>an</strong>ism for catalytic cracking<br />

(<strong>an</strong>d hydrocracking) under the relatively mild conditions used in FCC is<br />

shown on page 28.<br />

The catalyst causes a ‘classical’ carbenium ion <strong>to</strong> be formed by acid cata-<br />

lyzed activation reactions. The classical carbenium ion is tr<strong>an</strong>sformed in<strong>to</strong> the<br />

key intermediate which c<strong>an</strong> be described as a pro<strong>to</strong>nated cycloprop<strong>an</strong>e struc-<br />

ture. After some rearr<strong>an</strong>gements cracking occurs. The formation of br<strong>an</strong>ched<br />

paraffins is very fortunate since br<strong>an</strong>ched paraffins have high oct<strong>an</strong>e numbers<br />

<strong>an</strong>d the isobut<strong>an</strong>e produced c<strong>an</strong> be used in alkylation. The preferred products<br />

are those of which the formation proceeds via tertiary carbenium ions. Carbe-<br />

nium ions c<strong>an</strong> also be generated by intermolecular hydride tr<strong>an</strong>sfer reactions<br />

between alk<strong>an</strong>e <strong>an</strong>d carbenium ions that are not able <strong>to</strong> form tertiary carbe-<br />

nium ions (see Chapter 4, Section 4.4). Under more severe conditions lower<br />

paraffins c<strong>an</strong> also be cracked.<br />

+:I:

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