Continuous reaction performances of benzene alkylation with long chain olefins catalyzed by ionic liquid

Based on a compulsive mixing-reacting-separating-recycling small experimental setup,the continuous reaction performances of benzene alkylation with long chain olefins catalyzed by [BMIM]Cl-AlCl3 ionic liquid were investigated. Three different situations including normal continuous operation mode (reagent materials), sidetrack feeding from different axial positions along the static mixing reactor (reagent materials) and normal continuous alkylation using industrial paraffin and olefins materials were examined. Even under the relatively hypecritical reaction conditions, the single pass conversion of pure 1-dodecene could reach to nearly 100.0%, and the selectivity of 2-phenyl isomer was higher than 37.7%. Although the positions along the reactor for sidetrack feeding were different, the 100.0% single pass conversion of 1-dodecene was also attained before the outlet of the reactor. The refined industrial olefins as raw material could meet with the requirements of continuous alkylation. The influences of impurities such as di-olefins and non-benzene aromatics on the catalytic activity and stability should be studied further. © Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag 2008.