Alkylation catalyst and method for making alkylated phenols

1. An alkylation catalyst comprising a metal oxide wherein the catalyst has a surface area to volume ratio of about 950 m 2 /m 3 to about 4,000 m 2 /m 3 and further wherein the catalyst has a bimodal distribution of pores.

2. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide comprises magnesium oxide, iron oxide or a combination of the foregoing.

3. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst further comprises filler.

4. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has pores with diameters of about 100 to about 400 Angstroms after calcination.

5. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a surface area of about 100 square meters per gram to about 300 square meters per gram.

6. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the uncalcined catalyst is in the form of pellets having a pellet density of about 1.30 to about 2.10 grams per cubic centimeter.

7. The catalyst of claim 1 having a surface areas to volume ratio of about 1100 to about 3800 m 2 /m 3 .

8. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has an unpacked bulk density of about 900 to about 1200 kilograms per cubic meter.

9. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a diameter of about 1.0 to about 4.0 millimeters and a height of about 2.0 to about 3.0 millimeters.

10. An alkylation catalyst comprising a metal oxide wherein the catalyst has an aspect ratio of about 0.7 to about 1.0; and

further wherein the catalyst has a bimodal distribution of pores; and

further wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a pellet density of about 1.3 to about 2.10 grams per cubic centimeter.

11. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the metal oxide comprises magnesium oxide, iron oxide or a combination of the foregoing.

12. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst further comprises a filler.

13. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst has pares with diameters of about 100 to about 400 Angstroms after calcinations.

14. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a surface area of about 100 square meters per gram to about 300 square meters per gram.

15. The catalyst of claim 10 , having a surface area to volume ratio of about 950 to about 4000 m 2 /m 3 .

16. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst has an unpacked bulk density of about 900 to about 1200 kilograms per cubic meter.

17. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a diameter of about 1.0 to about 4.0 millimeters and a height of about 2.0 to about 3.0 millimeters.

18. An alkylation catalyst comprising a metal oxide wherein the catalyst is in the form of pellets having a diameter of about 1.0 to about 4.0 millimeters and a height of about 2.0 to about 3.0 millimeters and further wherein the catalyst has a bimodal distribution of pores.

19. The catalyst of claim 18 , wherein the metal oxide comprises magnesium oxide, iron oxide or a combination of the foregoing.

20. The catalyst of claim 18 , wherein the catalyst further comprises filler.

21. The catalyst of claim 18 , wherein the catalyst has pores with diameters of about 100 to about 400 Angstroms after calcination.

22. The catalyst of claim 18 , wherein the catalyst has an unpacked bulk density of about 900 to about 1200 kilograms per cubic meter.