Synthesis and purification of anthraquinone in a multifunctional reactor

In the present paper the reaction of 2-benzoylbenzoic acid dehydration has been studied in the presence of different catalysts by using a batch reacto r for screening the best catalysts and a pseudo-continuous multifunctional reactor for determining catalysts productivity, reaction yields, catalysts deactivation and regeneration on the previously selected catalysts that are acid bentonite, Y- and beta -zeolites. This last reactor works also as eva porator and condenser for separating and collecting produced anthraquinone at a high level of purity. while water continuously formed evaporates in th e atmosphere. A kinetic model with vapour-liquid partition and catalyst deactivation has been used to interpret the experimental runs. The liquid reacting mixture s howed strong non-ideality favouring the evaporation and collection of pure anthraquinone. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.