Reaction Mechanism of Naphthalene and α-Tetradecene Alkylation over H-FAU Zeolite Revealed by In Situ DRIFTS

This study aims to elucidate the reaction mechanism of naphthalene alkylation with long-chain α-tetradecene (α-C14H28) over H-FAU zeolite, a reaction critical for producing high-value alkylated aromatics in industrial catalysis. By combining in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) with kinetic and thermodynamic analysis, this study quantitatively tracks the evolution of four key carbocation intermediates formed on distinct Brønsted acid sites and identifies t