Isomerization of Ethylene Oxide into Acetaldehyde on Zeolite with MTT (ZSM-23 Type) Structure

Abstract

It was shown for the example of ZSM-23 zeolite with Si/Al = 50 that medium-porous zeolites with MTT structure are effective catalysts for gas-phase isomerization of ethylene into acetaldehyde. At 300–400°C, a nearly 100% conversion of ethylene oxide is observed, and the selectivity of its conversion to acetaldehyde exceeds 90%. The main by-products of the reaction are crotonic aldehyde and dioxane. ZSM-23 zeolite exhibits a higher selectivity and stability as compared with ZSM-5 zeolite having a 3D MFI structure. This zeolite provides an output of more than 28 g of acetaldehyde per gram of the catalyst per hour.