KINETICS AND REACTION-ENGINEERING OF SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION OF BENZENE TOWARDS CYCLOHEXENE

In contrast to the usual two-liquid-phase process the hydrogenation of benzene is carried out in a continuously operated slurry (CST-) react or containing only one liquid phase, an alkaline aqueous zinc chloride solution in which a ruthenium lanthanoxide catalyst is suspended. Thi s new procedure gives rise to an improvement of reaction engineering a nd makes possible the direct measurement of reaction rates for detaile d kinetic studies. It could be shown that cyclohexane is only formed b y consecutive hydrogenation of cyclohexene. The rates of benzene and c yclohexene conversions are mutually independent of the partial pressur es of cyclohexene and of benzene suggesting different sites of benzene and cyclohexene hydrogenation. Conclusions for optimal reaction engin eering are drawn.