Resumen
Synthesis of TAME catalyzed by zeolites USY, H-Mordenita, H-ZSM-5 and H-Beta was studied. Reactions were carried out in a batch reactor at 80oC and 10 kgf/cm2, using methanol and reactive isoamylenes (2-methyl-1-butene and 2-methyl-2-butene) from a mono-hydrogenated refinery C5 cut. For comparison, experiments were also carried out with Amberlyst 15 acid resin as catalyst. Results showed that zeolite H-Beta has isoamylenes conversion, TAME yield and selectivity, similar to those of Amberlyst 15 and superior than those of the other zeolites, under the studied conditions. Apparently, highly dispersed non-framework alumina species present in H-Beta zeolite would interact with some framework Brönsted acid sites forming sites with enhanced acid strength. Besides the formation of big clusters of methanol molecules, due to the preferential adsorption of methanol, that solvates the acidic proton, this fact leads to the higher activity observed for the synthesis of TAME, when compared to the other zeolites studied