Mechanisms of Methanol-to-Olefin Reaction

Researches in mechanism for methanol-to-loefin (MTO) reaction are reviewed in this paper. Five reaction steps, the equilibrium between methanol and dimethyl ether, induction period, post-induction period, secondary reaction and deactivation, are introduced as well as the reaction types in each step. The main mechanism models and their experimental proofs are concluded. The mechanism models, especially the direct mechanism and the hydrocarbon pool theory, are discussed in detail in each reaction step. The hydrocarbon pool theory is thought as the one that can better explain the MTO reaction based on the experimental proof. Meanwhile the research methods, both theoretic and experimental, are also reviewed in this paper.