Catalytic Isomerization of Butene−1 to Butene−2

Abstract

A study has been made of the interconversion of butene−1 and butene−2 on a variety of catalysts, both liquid and solid. This work was paralleled by the study of the exchange of radioactive hydrogen and tritium between the catalysts and the hydrocarbons, butene, propylene, and ethylene. A mechanism based on hydrogen transfer by the catalyst is proposed to explain the results and this mechanism is extended to apply to the action of catalysts in alkylation, cracking, and polymerization reactions.