The dual nature of a catalytic reaction: The dehydrogenation of sec‐butyl alcohol to methyl ethyl ketone at elevated pressures

Authors:
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A detailed analysis of initial rate data obtained for the catalytic dehydrogenation of sec‐butyl alcohol to methyl ethyl ketone in the presence of brass reveals that the controlling step of the reaction changes and depends on the operating conditions. To take advantage of the unique characteristics of initial rate equations, the experimental phase of this work has been carried out with a differential reactor and covered the temperature range 550° to 700°F. for pressures up to 15 atm. Feed compositions containing sec‐butyl alcohol and mixtures with methyl ethyl ketone and hydrogen were used.These studies show that the desorption of molecularly adsorbed hydrogen ceases to be the controlling step in favor of a dual‐site surface reaction depending on the operating variables. In view of these observations it now becomes necessary to calculate reaction rates with both over‐all rate equations and to select the lower rate as representative of the controlling step of the reaction.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: