In the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbon(MTH), hydrocarbon pool (HCP) species have been observedand demonstrated as important intermediates for efficientformation of olefins in the steady-state stage. However,in situobservation on the formation and evolution of the hydrocarbonpool species at the initial stage is still a huge challenge.
A research team led by Prof. Liu Zhongmin and Prof. Wei Yingxu fromDalian Institute of Chemical Physicsof the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) reportedtherole of methylcyclopentenyl cations as a critical species linking initial stage and highlyefficient stage in methanol-to-hydrocarbon process.
The results were published inACS Catlysis(https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.0c00799).
The researchers observed that MCP+was formedpreferentially than polymethylbenzenes (PMBs) species when theHCP species began to accumulate at the transition stage.Additionally, the relationship between MCP+and PMBs specieswas established by13C-isotope tracing experiments and theoretical calculations.Importantly, this contribution highlights theimportance of the MCP+species in the whole methanol conversion process. Besides acting as an important active intermediatespecies for formation of olefins at the steady-state stage, MCP+species play a crucial role in bridging the direct mechanism at theinefficient initial stage and the highly efficient steady-state stage following the indirect pathway for methanol conversion.
This work was supported by the NationalNatural Science Foundation of China, the Key Research Program ofFrontier Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Youth Innovation Promotion Associationof the Chinese Academy of Sciences, theInternational Partnership Program of Chinese Academy ofSciences.（Text by Zhang Wenna）
Methylcyclopentenyl Cations Linking Initial Stage and Highly Efficient Stage in Methanol-to-Hydrocarbon Process. Wenna Zhang, Mozhi Zhang, Shutao Xu* , Shushu Gao, Yingxu Wei *, Zhongmin Liu *, ACS, 10(8):4510-4516, 2020.
