Hydrocracking of benzyloxybenzene as a lignite-related model compound over a novel solid acid

A novel solid acid was prepared by impregnating trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) onto attapulgite powder (AP). Benzyloxybenzene (BOB) was used as a lignite-related model compound to evaluate the catalytic activity of TFMSA/AP for cleaving C alk –O bridged bonds in lignites. The results show that BOB was mainly hydrocracked to toluene, phenol , and (ethoxymethyl)benzene over TFMSA/AP in ethanol without adding gaseous hydrogen. In addition, ethanol participated in and significantly facilitated BOB hydrocracking . Based on the kinetic investigation, BOB hydrocracking over TFMSA/AP is absent of mass transfer limitations with the apparent activation energy of only 19.4   kJ   mol −   1 , which is far smaller than the dissociation energy (209.2   kJ   mol −   1 ) of C alk –O bridged bond in BOB. The proton transfer directly from TFMSA/AP and/or via ethanol dehydrogenation to the oxygen atom of BOB could be the crucial step for BOB hydrocracking over TFMSA/AP.