Fischer-tropsch synthesis using zeolite-supported iron catalysts derived from iron carbonyl complexes

Catalytic Technologies for CO Hydrogenation for the Production of Light Hydrocarbons and Middle Distillates

In South Korea, where there are no resources such as natural gas or crude oil, research on alternative fuels has been actively conducted since the 1990s. The research on synthetic oil is subdivided into Coal to Liquid (CTL), Gas to Liquid (GTL), Biomass to Liquid (BTL), etc., and was developed with the focus on catalysts, their preparation, reactor types, and operation technologies according to the product to be obtained. In Fischer–Tropsch synthesis for synthetic oil from syngas, stability, CO conversion rate, and product selectivity of catalysts depends on the design of their components, such as their active material, promoter, and support. Most of the developed catalysts were Fe- and Co-based catalysts and were developed in spherical and cylindrical shapes according to the reactor type. Recently, hybrid catalysts in combination with cracking catalysts were developed to control the distribution of the product. In this review, we survey recent studies related to the design of catalysts for production of light hydrocarbons and middle distillates, including hybrid catalysts, encapsulated core–shell catalysts, catalysts with active materials with well-organized sizes and shapes, and catalysts with shape- and size-controlled supports. Finally, we introduce recent research and development (R&D) trends in the production of light hydrocarbons and middle distillates and in the catalytic processes being applied to the development of catalysts in Korea.

A Mononuclear Cyclopentadiene–Iron Complex Grafted in the Supercages of HY Zeolite: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity

The reaction of ferrocene with the acidic hydroxy groups in the supercages of zeolite HY dehydrated at 673 K and the reactivity of the resultant surface species towards CO and O(2) were investigated by temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) and reduction (TPR) and IR, X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (XAFS), and X-ray photoelectron (XP) spectroscopy. In situ FTIR, TPD, TPR, and chemical analysis reveal that the Cp(2)Fe molecule adsorbed on the zeolite surface loses one cyclopentadienyl group under vacuum at 423 K, which leads to the formation of a well-defined mononuclear surface Fe-C(5)H(6) complex grafted to two acidic sites and one ([triple bond]Si-O-Si[triple bond]) unit, as confirmed by the lack of Fe-Fe contributions in the EXAFS spectra. Each iron atom is coordinated, on average, to three oxygen atoms of the zeolite surface with a Fe--O distance of 2.00 A and to five carbon atoms with a Fe--C distance of 2.09 A. IR spectra indicate that the cyclopentadiene-iron species grafted on the surface of the zeolite is quite stable in vacuo or under an inert or hydrogen atmosphere below 423 K, and is also relatively stable under oxygen at room temperature. However, the cyclopentadiene ligand readily reacts with CO to form a compound containing carbonyl at 323 K, and even at room temperature. The single carbonyl band in the IR spectra provides evidence for the nearly uniform formation of a cyclopentadiene-iron species on the surface of the zeolite.