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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Adsorption Device Based on a Langatate Crystal Microbalance for High Temperature High Pressure Gas Adsorption in Zeolite H-ZSM-5
Published on: August 25, 2016
Low-temperature alkane C-H bond activation by zeolites: an in situ solid-state NMR H/D exchange study for a carbenium
Mohamed Haouas1, Gerhard Fink, Francis Taulelle
1Tectospin, Institut Lavoisier de Versailles (UMR CNRS 8180), Université de Versailles St Quentin en Yvelines, 45, Avenue des Etats Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex, France. haouas@chimie.uvsq.fr
Abstract:
Isotopic H/D exchange has been monitored by in situ MAS NMR spectroscopy of 2-[D(14)]methylpentane with H-USY to probe the controversy over the alkane conversion mechanism. The probe molecule has distinct exchangeable sites with different accessibility to the zeolite surface. In the early stages of the process, the regioselectivity of exchange demonstrates that the slow step of the mechanism is controlled by a carbenium ion intermediate. At a later stage of exchange, intramolecular hydride migrations, typical of carbenium chemistry, replace D by H also on other carbon atoms, resulting in a loss of regioselectivity. Therefore, the first and the subsequent steps of the H/D exchange proceed at this temperature through a carbenium intermediate species.
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