Catalysis Overview

AMBERLYST™ polymer based catalysis involves mostly the use of functionalized styrene divinylbenzene copolymers with different surface properties and porosities. They are supplied as spherical polymers in the gel or macroreticular form. They have been used for 40 years in a variety of reactions.

Besides their catalytic performance, Amberlyst™ polymer catalysts are easy to handle and show a low degree of corrosivity. They are the catalysts of choice for some large markets such as fuel ethers, and bisphenol A. Alternatively these catalysts can be doped with various metals to enhance their catalytic properties. Today more and more neutral adsorbents with extended surface properties are used as carriers for biocatalysts and metal complexes.

AMBERLYST™ catalysts are available in a wide range of particle sizes (from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm) which have been optimized for their end use to allow good selectivity, low pressure drop and lowest cost operations.

Our major building blocks for Amberlyst™ catalysts are polystyrene based copolymers but acrylic and phenolic backbones are also available. If you are looking for a specific polymer or functional group on a polymeric catalyst please feel free to contact us. We are interested in working with you.

For sampling, pricing and availability of AMBERLYST™ catalysts please contact your Rohm and Haas sales representative.

List of Reactions and Recommended Polymeric General Catalysts

Reaction	Reaction Product	Amberlyst™ Catalysts
Aldolization	Diacetone alcohol and other Aldols	A26 OH
Alkylation	Alkylphenols	15Dry, 35Dry, 36Dry
Condensation	Bisphenol A Phenol (Condensation of Carbonyl and furan impurities)	31Wet, 33, 121Wet, 131Wet, 232Wet 16Wet, 36Wet
Dimerization	Iso-octene and Iso-Octane	35Wet, 36Wet
Esterification	Acrylates (EA, BA, 2-EHA, MMA) Acetates (MA, EA, BA, PA) Fatty Acid esters	16Wet, 131Wet, 39Wet, 46 15Wet, 16Wet, 36Wet, 131Wet BD20, 15Wet, 36Wet, 70
Etherification	Fuel ethers (MTBE, ETBE, TAME)	15Wet, 35Wet, CH10
Hydrogenation	MIBK TAME	CH28, CH10
Hydration	Alcohols from light olefins	15Wet, 70