| Abstract: | ![]()
Styrene was found to yield saturated and unsaturated linear oligomers in the presence of a surface-supported catalyst, molybdenum oxide on silica-alumina. The reaction rates, the structure, and the molecular weight distribution of the products were found to be controlled by the choice of the solvent. Higher-molecular-weight fractions were favored in isooctane, whereas low-molecular-weight oligomers were preferred in dioxane. The reaction followed first-order kinetics with respect to the monomer. End-group analysis suggests a probable cationic mechanism. Approximate transfer constants KtrKp were deduced from product distribution data. The behavior of the surface-supported catalyst was compared with other cationic catalyst systems. |
