LOW TEMPERATURE CONVERSION OF PENTANE WITH ALUMINUM CHLORIDE–METAL SULFATE MIXTURES

Abstract
The mixtures of aluminum chloride and metal sulfate are found to be effective catalysts for the conversion of pentane at low temperatures. For example, when 10 ml of pentane was shaked with the equimolar mixture of AlCl3 and Ti2(SO4)3 (7.5 mmol each) at 28 °C for 3 hr, the pentane conversion of 46 % was obtained with the selectivity to isopentane of 84 %. In the vapor phase conversion, however, the main product was found to be isobutane.