ENHANCED BENZENE FORMATION ON PT H-MORDENITE AND PD/H-MORDENITE/

The distribution of methylcyclopentane (MCP) ring enlargement (RE) pro ducts between benzene (Bz) and cyclohexane (Ch) provides information o n the reaction mechanism. The Bz/CH ratio is in excess of the calculat ed and experimentally determined equilibrium ratio. This implies that benzene is a primary product; it eliminates the possibility of direct hydride ion transfer to carbenium ions as the prevailing mechanism. Th e results are consistent with the concept that metal-proton adducts ar e instrumental in bifunctional catalysis.