Skeletal isomerization process producing isobutene from n-butene was commercialized by using FER zeolite in 1993. The low yield of isobutene and rapid deactivation of various acid catalysts were main causes for its late development. The competition of the skeletal isomerization and dimerization followed by cracking over acid catalysts was explained and the determining factors for the selectivity to isobutene were deduced from the variation of catalytic performance with the nature, intensity, concentration and location of acid sites and the size, shape and volume of pores of zeolite catalysts. Suggested mechanisms for the skeletal isomerization such as bimolecular, monomolecular and pseudo-monomolecular mechanism were interpreted and the validity of the monomolecular mechanism was discussed based on experimental results. The development and prospect of highly active and selective catalysts for the skeletal isomerization of n-butene were also described.

FER 제올라이트를 촉매로 사용하여 n-부텐에서 이소부텐을 제조하는 골격이성화공정은 1993년에 상업화되었다. 여러 종류의 산 촉매가 검토되었으나 이소부텐 수율이 낮고 촉매의 활성저하가 빨라 개발이 지연되었다. 산점의 종류, 세기, 농도, 위치 및 세공의 크기, 모양, 용적 등이 골격이성화반응과 경쟁반응인 중합에 이은 분해반응에 미치는 영향을 고찰하여 이소부텐에 대한 선택성 결정 인자를 정리하였다.골격이성화반응의 기구로 제안된 두분자, 단분자, 의사단분자 반응기구를 소개하고 실험결과와 연관지어 단분자 반응기구의 타당성을 고찰하였다. 골격이성화반응에 활성과 선택성이 높은 촉매의 탐색과 전망을 서술하였다.