%0 Journal Article
%T Influence of Catalyst Preparation Strategy on the Acid-Base Properties and Catalytic Performance of Metal-Modified NaX Catalysts in SATM Reaction
%A Mohamed El Gharrabi
%A Yueli Wen
%A Bin Wang
%A Ahmad Faraz
%A Wei Huang
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 13
%N 6
%P 1-17
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2026
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1115531
%X Achieving an appropriate balance between acid-base properties and dehydrogenation ability is essential for improving catalytic performance in the side-chain alkylation of toluene with methanol (SATM). In this work, a series of transition metal-modified NaX catalysts containing Cu, Ni, Co, Ag, and Ce were synthesized through an <i>in</i>-<i>situ</i> hydrothermal method using two different preparation strategies, denoted as M1 and M2. Subsequently, 17 wt% NaOH was introduced to regulate the surface acid-base properties. The effects of preparation sequence and metal incorporation on catalyst structure, acidity distribution, and catalytic performance were systematically investigated using XRD, BET, NH<sub>3</sub>-TPD and FT-IR analyses. The results demonstrated that transition metal incorporation significantly enhanced catalytic activity compared with the parent PAl-NaX catalyst. All catalytic tests were conducted in triplicate per day, and the reported results represent the corresponding average values. Among the M1 catalysts, the Cu-modified sample exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving a combined ethylbenzene and styrene yield of 71.9% with 99.7% methanol conversion, while the Ni-modified catalyst showed enhanced styrene formation with a total yield of 66.4%. The M2 preparation strategy further improved catalytic performance, with Cat-1Ni-17Na-M2 and Cat-1Cu-17Na-M2 achieving combined yields of 74.2% and 73.6%, respectively. The superior activity of the M2 catalysts is attributed to the introduction of NaX prior to metal incorporation, which promoted the formation of a larger proportion of weak acidic sites and a more favorable acid-base balance. These findings provide valuable insights into the rational design of highly efficient NaX-based catalysts for SATM reactions through controlled modulation of metal species and surface acidity.
%K Side-Chain Alkylation
%K PAl-NaX Zeolite
%K Transition-Metal Modification
%K Acid-Base Synergy
%K Overall Yield of SATM Products
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=152325