Selective Alkylation of Aniline With Methanol Over Boronsilicate Molecular Sieve

Abstract

The selective alkylation of aniline with methanol catalyzed by boronsilicates was investigated. Correlation of acidity of ZSM-5, (B)ZSM-5 and ion-exchanged (B)ZSM-5s with the selectivity towards methylated anilines suggested that strong acid sites T m600K, medium acid sites 450T m600K, and weak acid sites (T m450) are active sites to produce C-alkylate and coke, N, N-dimethyl aniline (NNDMA) and N-methyltoluidine (NMT), and N-methylaniline (NMA), respectively. However, Cu exchanged (B)ZSM-5 having only weak acid sites is selective to NMT and does not deactivate during the reaction. © 1989.