Synthesis of efficient SBA-15 immobilized ionic liquid catalyst and its performance for Friedel–Crafts reaction

Friedel–Crafts alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene, which is an important reaction of synthetic detergent, was studied via ionic liquid [bmim][TFSI]/AlCl₃ (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide/AlCl₃) immobilized on SBA-15 catalysts. XRD, BET, TEM, TG, ammonia TPD investigations were used to search insight into catalyst characteristic. The immobilized catalysts preserved ordered structure and presented high specific surface areas. The utilization of active sites was significantly improved by immobilization. Based on ammonia TPD, immobilized catalysts exhibited higher Lewis acidity than aluminum chloride grafted SBA-15. TG indicated that thermal stability of ionic liquid has been improved by immobilization. The influences of various reaction conditions including reaction time, benzene/1-dodecene ratio were studied. Immobilized ionic liquids have better performance of no matter 1-dodecene conversion or 2-linear alkyl benzene (2-LAB) selectivity, than bulk ionic liquid catalysts or aluminum chloride grafted mesoporous materials. 2-LAB selectivity can be increased from about 35% with bulk ionic liquid to more than 60% with immobilized catalysts. Under optimal condition, 2-LAB selectivity reached as high as 80%. The immobilized catalysts could be reused. And at 3th cycle of catalysts, 1-dodecene conversion could still reach more than 50%. The role of deactivation was proposed based on TEM, BET and TG investigations. By-products as oligomer, produced by oligomerization of olefin, blocked or covered the pores, led to deactivation of catalysts.