Mechanism of 1,2-dichloroethane dehydrochlorination on the acid sites of oxide catalysts as studied by IR spectroscopy

The adsorption of 1,2-dichloroethane on zeolite HZSM-5 and γ-Al 2 O 3 at temperatures from 25 to 400°C was studied by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The forms of adsorbed 1,2-dichloroethane and the products of its conversion at the Brønsted and Lewis acid sites of catalysts were identified. The kinetics of 1,2-dichloroethane conversion on the surface of catalysts was studied by in situ Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that 1,2-dichloroethane was dehydrochlorinated at the Lewis sites of γ-Al 2 O 3 even at 100°C, whereas the reaction came into play at the Brønsted sites of zeolite HZSM-5 only at 200°C. It was found that, at the Lewis acid sites of catalysts, the resulting vinyl chloride underwent oligomerization with the intermediate formation of a dimer (1,3-dichloro-2-butene), whereas the formation of 1,3-dichloro-2-butene at the Brønsted sites of zeolite HZSM-5 was not observed. The mechanisms of 1,2-dichloroethane conversions at Lewis and Brønsted acid sites were proposed.