Hydroconversion of 2‑Methylnaphthalene on Pt/Mordenite Catalysts. Reaction Study and Mathematical Modeling

In this study, the effect of the metal/acid balance of Pt/mordenite catalysts on the activity, product distribution, and main reaction pathways during the hydroconversion of 2-methylnaphthalene (2-MN) was analyzed. The hydroconversion study was performed on Pt/mordenite catalysts having different metal/acid ratios in a batch reactor at 4.13 MPa (cold charge) and 523–573 K. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, 27Al NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine, and TEM. The results indicate that, by using a bifunctional catalyst consisting of a well-crystallized mordenite whose acid function consists mainly of Brönsted acidity and with a strong hydrogenating function such as dispersed platinum, it is possible to promote the hydroconversion of 2-MN through a complex reaction scheme consisting of isomerization, hydrogenation, ring contraction, ring opening, and cracking. These reactions produce high-value hydrocarbons such as alkyl cycloparaffins, paraffins, and isoparaffins, which decrease the aromatic character of the feed and open a potential route to improve the quality of the polyaromatic-rich fractions.