Crystal structure regulation of H 2 SO 4 /ZrO 2 -WO 3 enhances Brønsted acidity for low-temperature dealkylation of BHT to p -cresol

作者：Hengfu Yang, Guoming Zhao, Xing Fan, Chunxiao Qiao, B Q Li, Xiang Bai, Xianyong Wei · 发表于：Canadian Journal of Chemistry · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1139/cjc-2026-0057 · 研究领域：Zeolite Catalysis and Synthesis、Mesoporous Materials and Catalysis、Catalysis for Biomass Conversion

ZrO 2 -WO 3 solid oxide supports with different tungsten contents were prepared by the co-precipitation method, and a series of solid acid catalysts were obtained via impregnation with sulfuric acid solutions of varying concentrations. The effects of crystal structure regulation on the acidity of the catalysts and their catalytic performance in the dealkylation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) to p-cresol were investigated for the first time. Tungsten oxide was found to mainly stabilize the monoclinic phase of ZrO 2 and promote the formation of more and stronger Brønsted (B) acid sites. The catalyst prepared with 0.1 mol/L sulfuric acid and 14 wt.% WO 3 (0.1-H 2 SO 4 /ZrO 2 -WO 3 -14) exhibited the highest specific surface area (57.27 m 2 ·g −1 ), suitable pore structure (average pore diameter 13.69 nm), and the highest amount of strong B acid sites. According to the Arrhenius equation, the high Brønsted acidity of this catalyst lowers the energy barrier of the dealkylation reaction, enabling a BHT conversion of >99.9% and p-cresol selectivity of 95.0% under mild conditions at 180 °C, which is significantly lower than the 250–350 °C required for H-ZSM-5. The catalytic activity decreased slightly after five reaction cycles but was mostly restored after recalcination. This work provides theoretical support and guidance for the design of strong solid acid catalysts for low-temperature catalytic reactions, and lays a foundation for further exploration of solid acid-ca...