Carbon formation during the decomposition of isopropanol, n -hexanol, and cyclohexanol on a copper-silica-gel catalyst

Summary

• 1. In the decomposition of isopropanol, n-hexanol,and cyclohexanol on a copper-silica-gel catalyst, three mechanisms for carbon formation have been observed within the temperature range 200–950°.

• 2. A scheme has been presented for the mechanisms of carbon formation: a) the low-temperature mechanism (200–600°) is a polycondensation of the products of catalytic dehydrogenation of the alcohols (aldehydes and ketones); b) the intermediate mechansism (600–750°) is a polycondensation of the products of catalytic dehydration of the alcohol (propylene, hexalene,and cyclohexene); c) the high-temperature mechanism (750–950°) is a polycondensation of the products of decomposition of the initial alcohols (lower paraffins and ethylene), the polycondensation of aromatic hydrocarbons, previously formed in the decomposition of the alcohols, and the polycondensation of the initial alcohols themselves.