Industrial application of solid acid–base catalysts

A statistical survey of industrial processes using solid acid–base catalysts is presented. The number of processes such as alkylation, isomerization, amination, cracking, etherification, etc., and the catalysts such as zeolites, oxides, complex oxides, phosphates, ion-exchange resins, clays, etc., are 127 and 180, respectively. The classification of the types of catalysts into solid acid, solid base, and solid acid–base bifunctional catalysts gives the numbers as 103, 10 and 14, respectively. Some significant examples are described more in detail. On the basis of the survey, the future trend of solid acid–base catalysis and the fundamental research promising for industrial success are discussed.