Treated pillared clays and alkylation process using same

A treated pillared clay made by the process comprising the steps of

• (A) contacting at least one clay comprising at least one montmorillonite with an effective amount of an aqueous ammonium chloride solution to exchange all or substantially all of the exchangeable sodium and/or calcium ions in said clay for ammonium ions to provide an ammonium-containing clay;
• (B) contacting said ammonium-containing clay with an effective amount of an aqueous ammonium fluoride solution to provide a fluorine- and ammonium-containing clay having a fluorine content of at least about 0.25% by weight;
• (C) contacting said fluorine- and ammonium-containing clay with an effective amount of at least one aluminum- and/or zirconium-containing pillaring agent to form an fluorine-containing pillared clay;
• and
• (D) contacting said fluorine-containing pillared clay with an effective amount of phosphoric acid to impregnate and/or incorporate at least part of said acid on said clay.

A process for making a treated pillared clay comprising the steps of:

• (A) contacting at least one clay with an effective amount of at least one ammonium ion source to exchange sodium and/or calcium ions in said clay for ammonium ions to provide an ammonium-containing clay, said clay comprising metal oxides and hydroxides and having a lamellar structure with lamellar layers and interlamellar spaces disposed between the lamellar layers and exchangeable sodium and/or calcium ions occupying said interlamellar spaces;
• (B) contacting said ammonium-containing clay with an effective amount of a source of fluorine to replace at least part of the hydroxyl groups in said clay with fluorine to provide a fluorine- and ammonium-containing clay;
• (C) contacting said fluorine- and ammonium-containing clay with an effective amount of at least one pillaring agent to form an fluorine-containing pillared clay;
• and
• (D) contacting said fluorine-containing pillared clay with an effective amount of at least one inorganic acid to impregnate and/or incorporate at least part of said acid on said clay.