ISOBUTENE PRODUCTION FROM SKELETAL ISOMERIZATION OF 1-BUTENE ON WOX FERRIERITE/

Both potassium and ammonium ferrierite (FK and FA, respectively) were impregnated with tungsten species using either tungstic acid or ammoni um metatungstate as precursors. The skeletal isomerization of 1-butene at 200-400 degrees C, atmospheric pressure and 0.15 atm 1-butene part ial pressure, was studied on samples with and without tungsten. Tungst en species on FK promote the isobutene formation while those species o n FA generate a synergetic effect over the isobutene production. The p resence of tungsten species improves the material stability and mainly , the isobutene yield. Starting the 1-butene feed over the catalytic b ed at 200 degrees C and then increasing the reaction temperature to 40 0 degrees C, makes it possible to avoid the low isobutene selectivity at short times-on-stream.