Abstract
THE catalytic conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons in the gasoline boiling range1 (30–200 °C) using zeolite ZSM-5 at ∼370 °C has attracted much attention and is now used industrially. Methanol (CH3OH) is dehydrated to dimethyl ether (DME) and the equilibrium mixture of CH3OH and DME is then converted to olefins, aliphatics and aromatics up to C10. However, the mechanism of the reactions involved, particularly in regard to the formation of the first carbon–carbon bond and the nature of the intermediates, remains a matter for speculation. Here we report the use of 13C magic-angle-spinning NMR to identify 29 different organic species in the adsorbed phase, and to monitor their fate during the course of the reaction. This technique allows us to observe different kinds of shape selectivity in the zeolite host, to identify CO as an intermediate in the reaction, and to distinguish unequivocally between mobile and attached species. The results will assist the design of shape-selective solids and provide a better understanding of catalytic processes in the intracrystalline space.
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Anderson, M., Klinowski, J. Direct observation of shape selectivity in zeolite ZSM-5 by magic-angle-spinning NMR. Nature 339, 200–203 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/339200a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/339200a0
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