Tailoring selectivity in the liquid-phase isomerization of α-pinene on dealuminated ferrierite-type zeolites.

• Ferrierite-type zeolite was dealuminated by solutions of hydrochloric acid. • The samples were highly crystalline and contained Brønsted and Lewis acid sites. • Initial reaction rate and turnover frequency of α-pinene at 348–363 K were estimated. • Selectivity to camphene and limonene was in the range of 77–98.9 %. Ferrierite-type zeolite (Zeolyst Intern.) with Si/Al = 10 was dealuminated sequentially using solutions of hydrochloric acid of different concentrations. The course of dealumination was followed by XRD, XPS, sorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, and solid-state 29Si, 27Al and 1H MAS NMR. The dealuminated samples retained high crystallinity and revealed good sorption properties. The tetrahedrally coordinated aluminium in ferrierite was distributed between T B sites located in the main channels and T A ones siting in hidden positions. It was shown that dealumination removed aluminium from ferrierite in a non-random manner; up to 60% of aluminium was removed from T B and up to 19-% from T A sites. The amount and strength of Brønsted acid sites decreased with dealumination. The samples were tested in the liquid-phase isomerization α-pinene at 348–363 K; camphene and limonene were the main products. The initial reaction rates and turnover frequencies have been estimated and compared to other zeolite catalysts. The selectivity to camphene and limonene was in the range of 77–98.9 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]