The alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene was performed in a batch reactor by two types of macroreticular ion exchange resin catalyst, Amberlyst 15 and Amberlyst XN-1010.
External mass transfer resistance and the macropore diffusion resistance could be neglected because the stirring speed and the resin particle size had little effect on the reaction rate.
The experimental data on the reaction rates can be correlated fairly well with the Rideal Kinetics, from which the reaction rate constant, equilibrium distribution coefficient and adsorption coefficient were estimated. The Activation energy of alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene was as follows;
E = 7.09 Kcal/gmole (Amberlyst XN-1010) 7.37 Kcal/gmole (Amberlyst 15)
The isomerization occurs prior to final attachment of the phenyl group to the alkyl chain since the product isomer distribution did not change with time during reaction.
Temperature, stirring speed and feed composition had little effect on the product isomer distribution.
