A technique for simultaneous in situ MAS NMR and on-line gas chromatographic studies of hydrocarbon conversions on solid catalysts under flow conditions

A new technique is introduced allowing simultaneous in situ MAS NMR investigations of hydrocarbon conversions on solids under flow conditions and on-line gas chromatography. For adsorption of methanol on zeolite HBeta, equal amounts of adsorbed molecules were determined by both analytical methods. Studying the synthesis of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) on zeolite HBeta using an MAS NMR rotor reactor, a constant yield of MTBE of Ymtbe= 27% was obtained up to a weight hourly space velocity of 1.4 h-1. The variation of the reaction temperature led to a simultaneous change of the 13C MAS NMR signals of isobutoxy species and of the yield of MTBE determined by on-line gas chromatography which indicates that isobutoxy species act as chemically active compounds. In this first application, the new in situ technique has demonstrated its advantage for a simultaneous investigation of compounds with a long residence time on the catalyst surface and of compounds rapidly leaving the catalyst surface.