LAUSR

Abstract A novel method for synthesis of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol from m-cresol and methanol with Fe2O3-SiO2-CuO catalyst is developed. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, N2 physisorption, scanning electron microscope and NH3-TPD. The performances of the Fe2O3-SiO2-CuO catalysts were compared with other catalysts such as Fe2O3, Fe2O3-SiO2, Fe2O3-Cr2O3, Fe2O3-V2O5, Fe2O3-SiO2-V2O5. For Fe2O3-SiO2-CuO catalyst with Fe/Si/Cu molar ratio = 200: 5: 1, the yield of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol reached 97.9% under reaction conditions of 340 °C, 1: 5: 1.5 methanol/m-cresol/water molar ratio and 0.7 h−1 LHSV, which exhibited much higher value than other catalysts.