Thermodynamic analysis on disproportionation process of cyclohexylamine to dicyclohexylamine

Abstract

Abstract This work deals with a study of the effect of temperature on the cyclohexylamine disproportionation to dicyclohexylamine, conjointly with the thermodynamic analysis of this process. The laboratory experiments were carried out in a glass tubular continuous-flow reactor in a gaseous phase at the reaction temperature 433–463 K over a nickel catalyst. The results show, that the temperature has a trifling effect on equilibrium conversion of cyclohexylamine. However, temperature affects the formation of hydrocarbons, benzene and cyclohexane, and dehydrogenation products of dicyclohexylamine, i.e. N-cyclohexylidenecyclohexanamine and N-phenylcyclohexylamine. The latter one is the dominant product of dicyclohexylamine dehydrogenation. The disproportionation of cyclohexylamine has slightly exothermic character. At the experimental reaction temperature range, the cyclohexylamine disproportionation is spontaneous reaction and other reactions of this process are non-spontaneous.