Cross-Dimerization of a Monovinyl Aromatic Compound and An Olefinic Compound Using a Microchannel Reactor System

The cross-dimerization of monovinyl aromatic compounds and olefinic compounds is commonly used in the production of intermediates for synthetic components used in the manufacture of fragrance compounds. This reaction is conventionally carried out in the semi-batch reactor, where mass transfer limitations can lead to the formation of a variety of structural isomers and other by-products. Also, good mixing in the batch reactor is critical for the high yield and selectivity of the desired product. Microreactor technology provides enhanced heat and mass transfer due to high surface-to-volume ratio. In this study, the performance of the microreactor system was evaluated by studying the effect of different operating conditions on the space-time yield, conversion, yield, and selectivity of the product. Experiments were also conducted in the batch reactor for comparison of its performance to that of the microreactor.