Kinetic study of methylfluorene formation during perhydro-benzyltoluene dehydrogenation on Pt/Al2O3
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The pair Benzyltoluene (H0BT)/perhydro-benzyltoluene (H12BT) is one of the most relevant Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC). However, the catalytic dehydrogenation of H12BT is known to produce some methylfluorene (MF) traces that are considered to participate to the catalyst deactivation. Many publications try to develop more resistant catalysts and/or catalysts able to increase the selectivity of the reaction. Elucidating the kinetics of MF (by-product) formation is a key for the further development of new catalytic systems for this reaction. In the present work, 10 experiments were performed at 260 °C and atmospheric pressure, with a commercial Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalyst, varying the composition of the reacting mixture (H0BT, H6BT, H12BT and MF) and the mass of catalyst. Using different mathematical tools (COPASI and Python), it was demonstrated that MF was exclusively formed by dehydrocyclisation of the intermediate compound H6BT. The transformation of H6BT appears as the key to drive the selectivity of the reaction.
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,730
Funder: European Commission
OpenAlex ID: W7211950176