Kinetics of the Syntheses of Mesityl Oxide (MO) and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK) in a Fixed-Bed Flow Reactor (FBR)

Nb2O5/SiO2 and Pd/Nb2O5/SiO2 catalysts were studied for the liquid phase syntheses of mesityl oxide (MO) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) in a fixed bed flow reactor (FBR). Catalyst activities as high as 1.7 g/h g(cat) and selectivities ranging from 93.4 to 100% for MO synthesis were observed. The catalyst activity was found to be a strong function of space velocity likely due to product inhibition. A synergistic effect was observed whereby the catalyst activity for all organic products increased by 22% and the MIBK productivity increased by 20% at 160 A degrees C and WHSV = 8.6 h(-1) from the introduction of hydrogen to the reactor. However, the MIBK selectivity was constrained to less than 83.5% due to competing reactions.