Kinetics of the alkylation of phenol with methanol over catalysts derived from hydrotalcite-like anionic clays

Vapor phase alkylation of phenol with methanol was carried out over catalysts derived from a series of hydrotalcite (HT)-like compounds of the form M(II)Al-HT; where M(II)=Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn with M(II)/Al atomic ratios of2–5. The kinetic parameters such as rate constant (k), apparent activation energy (E_a) and Arrhenius frequency factor (A_o) for the disappearance of phenol were evaluated employing a power law equation assuming pseudo-first order kinetics. The kinetic parameters were found to be in good agreement with phenol conversion. The existence of the compensation effect between E_a and ln A_o was tested.