Activation of hydrocarbons on acidic zeolites: superior selectivity of methylation of ethene with methanol to propene on weakly acidic catalysts.

The study of methylation of ethene with methanol to propene over MFI zeolites with different heteroatoms has found that an efficient catalyst with weak acidities prevented the side reactions related with the formation of ethene oligomers from occurring, as evidenced by in situ IR spectroscopy, leading to superior propene selectivity in the product distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]