Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol

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dc.contributor.advisorFletcher, Jacken_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorBöhringer, Walteren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan der Merwe, Jacobusen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-11-05T03:49:38Z
dc.date.available2014-11-05T03:49:38Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe initial motivation for this study was to identify a suitable window of operation for thymol synthesis from iso-propanol and m-cresol mediated by a commercially available H-MFI zeolite catalyst. A preliminary investigation uncovered seeming anomalies in the course of the synthesis process, in particular counterintuitive trends with respect to m-cresol conversion and thymol selectivity at low space velocity. Consequently, the study sought to establish the reaction pathway responsible for these observations in an attempt to gain an understnding for future thymol yield optimisation studies. Under the reaction conditions studied, complete dehydration of iso-propanol was observed. Further reaction of the propene to olefinic species with carbon numbers higher than 3 was also seen. Results showed that the cause of the so-called “volcano curve” in respect of m-cresol conversion was found in the system’s propensity for the formation of cresylic rings which were alkylated with side chains consisting of carbon atoms between 4-8, particularly under severe reaction conditions. This fraction was formed via the alkylation of the m-cresol with the said olefinic pool. The thymol synthesis system was also found to be thermodynamically limited at high reaction temperature and low space velocityen_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationVan der Merwe, J. (2014). <i>Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9129en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationVan der Merwe, Jacobus. <i>"Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9129en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVan der Merwe, J. 2014. Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Van der Merwe, Jacobus AB - The initial motivation for this study was to identify a suitable window of operation for thymol synthesis from iso-propanol and m-cresol mediated by a commercially available H-MFI zeolite catalyst. A preliminary investigation uncovered seeming anomalies in the course of the synthesis process, in particular counterintuitive trends with respect to m-cresol conversion and thymol selectivity at low space velocity. Consequently, the study sought to establish the reaction pathway responsible for these observations in an attempt to gain an understnding for future thymol yield optimisation studies. Under the reaction conditions studied, complete dehydration of iso-propanol was observed. Further reaction of the propene to olefinic species with carbon numbers higher than 3 was also seen. Results showed that the cause of the so-called “volcano curve” in respect of m-cresol conversion was found in the system’s propensity for the formation of cresylic rings which were alkylated with side chains consisting of carbon atoms between 4-8, particularly under severe reaction conditions. This fraction was formed via the alkylation of the m-cresol with the said olefinic pool. The thymol synthesis system was also found to be thermodynamically limited at high reaction temperature and low space velocity DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol TI - Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9129 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/9129
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationVan der Merwe J. Thymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresol. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2014 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9129en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Chemical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleThymol synthesis by acid catalysed isopropylation of m-cresolen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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