A New Preparation Method for the Alkylation Catalysts of Aromatic Compounds Based on Immobilized AlCl3

A new method for the preparation of active catalysts for the alkylation and transalkylation of aromatic compounds (benzene and toluene) based on aluminum chloride immobilized on the surface of silica gel was developed. The alkylation occurred with a high reaction rate at room temperature. Thus, the conversion of 1-hexene in the alkylation of benzene or toluene was close to 100% already 5 min after the onset of the reaction. The transalkylation reaction occurred on the same catalysts but at higher temperatures and lower rates. Thus, the conversion of dihexylbenzene at a temperature of 80 degrees C reached 75% after 1 h. In the alkylation of benzene with ethylene (room temperature; ethylene pressure, 5 atm), 39.2% ethylbenzene and only 3.6% diethylbenzene (three positional isomers) were formed after 45 min.