Dehydrocyclization–cracking of methyl oleate by Pt catalysts supported on a ZnZSM-5–Al(2)O(3) hierarchical composite

The dehydrocyclization–cracking of methyl oleate was performed by ZnZSM-5–Al(2)O(3) hierarchical composite-supported Pt catalysts in the range of 450–550 °C under 0.5 MPa hydrogen pressure. Most catalysts converted methyl oleate completely and produced aromatics with more than 10 wt% yield as well as valuable fuels even at 450 °C. The reactivity of catalysts changed remarkably depending on the addition method of Pt, while supporting Pt of 0–0.16 wt% did not affect the pore structure of each catalyst. When Pt was introduced into the composite support by the conventional impregnation method, remarkable hydrocracking proceeded through the decarboxylation and decarbonylation of methyl oleate and the successive conversion of C17 fragments and gave the significant amounts of gaseous products. Nevertheless, the selectivity for the aromatics of the gasoline fraction was relatively high and the yields of aromatics reached maximum 19% at 500 °C under 0.5 MPa, suggesting that gaseous olefins would be cyclized through the Diels–Alder reaction on ZnZSM-5 in the composite support. In contrast, when Pt was introduced into catalysts by ion-exchange with ZnZSM-5, the significant conversion of methyl oleate was inhibited and produced liquid fuels in a wide range.