Kinetics of phenol alkylation with tert-butyl alcohol using supported ionic liquid catalyst

Sulphonic acid functional ionic liquid was prepared by covalently bonded with mesoporous silica material (SBA-15). The physical structure, composition and functional groups were characterised. The prepared catalyst activity was investicated in tert-butylation of phenol with tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) was using a batch autoclave reactor. The different parameters like reaction time, reaction temperature, catalyst amount and reactant mole ratio on the conversion of phenol and selectivity towards 2‑tert-butyl phenol (4-TBP), 4‑tert‑butyl phenol (2-TBP) and 2,4-di‑tert‑butyl phenol (2,4-DTBP) was studied. Maximum phenol conversion of 72% was obtained at Lower tert‑butanol to phenol mole ratios and lower catalyst loading. The activation energy was found to be 4.2 kcal/mol with second order rate equation from the experimental data.