Prospects for Synthesizing Linear Alkylbenzenes via the Homogeneous Catalytic Alkylation of Benzene with Mixtures of Olefins of Complex Composition: Using Two-Dimensional Chromatography to Study the Composition of Products

The catalytic alkylation of benzene with a multicomponent mixture consisting of products from the thermal pyrolysis of higher paraffins and containing a wide fraction of olefins of various structures is studied. Methanesulfonic acid, which has weak corrosion properties compared to industrial catalytic systems, is used as a homogeneous catalyst. Using two-dimensional gas chromatography to analyze the composition of both the initial multicomponent raw material and the products of alkylation allow the selection of the initial process conditions and the correct calculation of such parameters for assessing efficiency as selectivity and conversion. Depending on the raw material, the selectivity to linear alkylbenzene (LAB) is ranged within 82.4–88.3%; for 2-LABs, it is 29.2–41.3% at ~90% olefin conversion.