The mechanism of pyridine hydrogenolysis on molybdenum-containing catalysts : III. Cracking, hydrocracking, dehydrogenation and disproportionation of pentylamine

Abstract

The conversion of pentylamine on a MoO3-Al2O3 catalyst was studied between 250 and 350 °C, at various hydrogen pressures. The reactions observed were cracking to pentene and ammonia, hydrocracking to pentane and ammonia, dehydrogenation to pentanimine and butylcarbonitrile, and disproportionation to ammonia and dipentylamine.\ud \ud The equilibrium between pentylamine, dipentylamine and ammonia appeared to be established under most of the experimental conditions. The equilibrium constant is about 9 at 250 °C and about 5 at 320 °C. The disproportionation reaction is zero order in hydrogen and of −1 order in the initial pentylamine pressure.\ud \ud Dehydrogenation was observed at low hydrogen pressures, and especially at higher temperatures; the reaction is first order in pentylamine.\ud \ud Both cracking and hydrocracking take place, mainly above 300 °C. Hydrocracking appears to be half order in hydrogen; the rate of cracking is almost independent of the hydrogen pressure. The hydrocarbon formation is of zero order in pentylamine or dipentylamine.\ud \ud The same type of reactions (except hydrocracking) take place on alumina, but with a far lower reaction rate