Fuji Oil Company Limited

Fuji Oil Company Limited and Petroleum Energy Center

Toshihito Nakamura

Toshio Tsutsui

Osamu Kubota

Shinichi Okada

Masaharu Tashiro

The present invention provides a method for producing .beta.-methylnaphthalene from an inexpensive and easily available feed oil. According to the invention, highly pure .beta.-methylnaphthalene adequate for industrial use can be mass-produced at reduced costs. The method comprises catalytic hydrodealkylation of a feed oil containing an alkyl naphthalene having at least two methyl groups in the presence of a catalyst having at least one metal species of selected from the group consisting of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), rhodium (Rh), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), and compounds of these metals as an active component and a carrier therefor containing at least one of alumina and silica as its primary component, with a hydrogen partial pressure of 1 to 50 kgf/cm.sup.2, at a temperature of 450.degree. C. to 650.degree. C., and for a contact time of 3 to 35 seconds. The method of the invention is excellent in that it affords .beta.-methylnaphthalene of a chemical grade with a high yield.

Method for producing .beta.-methylnaphthalene

Catalytic hydrodealkylation by means of a catalyst which comprises microporous particles having a catalytic species carried thereon. Particulars of the microporous particles are disclosed.

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Chiba, Japan

Toshihito Nakamura