Nitridation: A simple way to improve the catalytic performance of hierarchical porous ZSM-5 in benzene alkylation with methanol

Nitrided hierarchical porous ZSM-5 was synthesized by nitridation of hierarchical porous ZSM-5 with flowing ammonia at elevated temperature. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, Nitrogen sorption isotherms, NH3-TPD and Py-IR, and evaluated in alkylation of benzene and methanol. The result indicated that the high specific surface area of parent ZSM-5 was maintained, while the Bronsted acidity was effectively adjusted by nitridation. Moreover, the high suppression of ethylbenzene was observed on nitrided catalyst and this could be attributed to the decrease of Briinsted acidity which suppressed the methanol to olefins reactions. (C) 2016 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.