Open AccessFast Catalytic Pyrolysis of Tetradecanoic Acid: Formation of Ketones as Intermediate Compounds in the Production of Hydrocarbons
Author(s) -
Mailena Dourado,
Noyala Fonseca,
R. Fréty,
Emerson Andrade Sales
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of the brazilian chemical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1678-4790
pISSN - 0103-5053
DOI - 10.21577/0103-5053.20220056
Subject(s) - pyrolysis , chemistry , catalysis , hydrocarbon , yield (engineering) , organic chemistry , decarbonylation , reagent , ketone , mass spectrometry , chromatography , materials science , metallurgy
This work aimed to compare two different catalysts in the production of a long chain ketone, intermediate in the production of hydrocarbons, during pyrolysis of tetradecanoic acid as a model fatty acid. The studied variables were the temperature, 450 and 600 ºC, and catalysts, γ-Al2O3 and Nb2O5, the latter has never been studied under such conditions. Pyrolysis experiments were performed in a micro-pyrolyzer coupled to a gas chromatograph with mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS). In all pyrolysis conditions, 14-heptacosanone was formed in varied amounts. Under the best conditions, for pyrolysis at 600 ºC, using γ-Al2O3 as catalyst, the yield of 14-heptacosanone was 18% and the yield of hydrocarbons 24%. The major hydrocarbon product obtained was 1-dodecene. Among the partially deoxygenated compounds, the main products were the ketones 14-heptacosanone and 2-pentadecanone. The present experimental work confirmed also the possibility to obtain hydrocarbons having a chain length longer than the chain length of the original fatty acid reagent, due to a ketonization route followed by decarbonylation.