Investigation on fluorinated alumina catalysts prepared by the fluorination of γ-Al2O3 with CHF3 for the isomerization of E-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene

As an environmentally friendly cleaning agent, Z -1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFO-1233zd( Z )) can realize industrial production by the isomerization of HCFO-1233zd( E ). Herein, various isomerization catalysts with different structures, compositions and acid properties were prepared through the fluorination of γ-Al 2 O 3 with CHF 3 by controlling the activation conditions. For the first time, the catalysts for HCFO-1233zd( E ) isomerization were systematically studied by XRD, N 2 physisorption, XPS, SEM, MAS NMR spectroscopy, NH 3 -TPD and py-IR. The active site of this reaction was revealed and the catalyst deactivation mechanism was proposed. It turned out that HCFO-1233zd( E ) isomerization prefers to occur at Lewis acid sites with moderate density and strength. The amorphous particles composed of γ-Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 (F) and α-AlF 3 ( R 3 ¯ c $\mathrm{R}\overline{3}\mathrm{c}$ ) at 450 °C exhibit highly catalytic activity for HCFO-1233zd( E ) isomerization. After 100 h evaluation, it was found that residual γ-Al 2 O 3 can be fluorinated by HCFO-1233zd( E ) to form needle-like structures which could induce the amorphous Al 2 O 3 (F) particles to reorganize and give cubic structures, where the Lewis acid properties were enhanced, leading to catalyst deactivation.