What is isomerization

Isomerization leads to production of a compound with another atomic (group) arrangement but composition and molecular weight do not change. In literature isomerization is often called rearrangement, sometimes these are name reactions (isomerization processes) according to the tradition.

Isomerization reactions are possible due to isomery- a phenomenon that consists in existing of several compounds with equal molecular weight, quantitative and qualitative composition, but with different physical and chemical characteristics. Such compounds are called isomers. For example, there are 5 basic hexane isomers, 3 conformation isomers of cyclohexane apart from methylcyclopentane, 17 hexene isomers. Octane has 18 isomers and tetradecane has as much as 1818 isomers.

The following types of reaction are typical for isomerization process:

-paraffin isomerization;

-opening of naphthenic compounds rings;

-naphthenes isomerization;

-benzene saturation;

-Hydrocracking;

-naphthenes transalkylation.