Acetone Reaction Pathways as a Model Bio-oxygenate in a Hydrocarbon Medium on Zeolite Y and ZSM‑5 Catalysts: In Situ FTIR Study

The pathways for the conversion of model compounds (acetone, n-hexane, hexene-1, cyclohexane, benzene) in pure form and acetone–hydrocarbon binary mixtures on Y and ZSM-5 zeolites are investigated. The conditions of the experiments simulate the catalytic cracking of bio-oil in a mixture with conventional feed. For the n-hexane–acetone model mixture, a significant effect of acetone addition on hydrocarbon transformation is observed, including the suppression of propane formation and an increase in the selectivity for C3–C4 olefins. In addition to enhanced olefins formation, the in situ Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results indicate a change in the reaction pathways of the acetone conversion in a hydrocarbon medium that also depends on the zeolite type (Y or ZSM-5). A reaction scheme is proposed, taking into account the change in the composition of the primary products of hydrocarbon cracking upon the introduction of a ketone.