Cracking of long-chain alkyl aromatics on USY zeolite catalysts

Long-chain alkyl aromatics are important precursors for FCC gasoline. It is well known that for short-chain alkyl aromatics like cumene the dominant cracking process is simple alkyl aryl cleavage. In contrast we have found that for long-chain alkyl aromatics like 1-phenylheptane, cracking over in situ USY catalysts is much more complex. Cracking in a long alkyl side chain results in a carbenium ion that isomerizes easily and gives self-alkylation of the aromatic ring. Self-alkylation produces coke precursors and heavy gasoline aromatics. Product selectivities vary with zeolite unit cell size in ways that are rationalized on the basis of decreasing acid site density and zeolite adsorption properties.