Common mechanistic aspects of liquid and solid acid catalyzed alkylation of isobutane with n-butene

Recently developed mechanistic and technological concepts concerning the isobutane/butene alkylation reaction on liquid and solid acids are addressed. Differences and similarities between the reactions of alkenes and alkanes with these acids are emphasized. Hydride transfer is shown to be the important step for high catalyst productivity and product quality. High concentrations of strong Brønsted acid sites and low concentrations of Lewis acid sites are mandatory for long catalyst life. Deactivation in liquid and solid acids proceeds through the formation of highly unsaturated compounds, which form strong complexes with the acid sites. Implications of the most important process parameters on the alkylation performance are discussed.