Converting syngas to gasoline is an attractive proposition given the current price of oil and an ever increasing demand for gasoline. Syngas can be obtained from non-renewable resources by steam reforming of petroleum hydrocarbons or by coal gasification, or from renewable resources by gasification of biomass.1 Gasoline is an important fraction of petroleum, which is widely used as a transportation fuel. Syngas can be converted directly to gasoline range compounds by Fischer-Tropsch chemistry using Co or Fe catalysts.2 Another route to convert syngas to gasoline is to convert syngas to methanol over Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst and then convert the methanol to gasoline (MTG) over H+/ZSM-5. In an effort to develop a composite catalyst to convert syngas directly to gasoline, we have studied the MTG reaction over H+/ZSM-5 catalysts over a wide range of reaction conditions. The MTG reaction was carried out in a batch reactor using H+/ZSM-5. Various operating conditions including reaction time, catalyst amount, temperature, total pressure and H2 partial pressure were experimentally studied with gasoline yield and composition determined. Experimental results and conclusions will be discussed in the presentation.

References: 1. Lv, P., Yuan, Z., Wu, C., Ma L., Chen Y. and Tsubaki, N., Energy Conversion and Management 48, 1132-1139(2007). 2. Kolasinski Kurt W., Surface Science-Foundations of catalysis and nanotechnology, John Wiley & sons ltd. (2002). 3. Phuong Thanh Doan, MS thesis, Mississippi State University (2001).