Photochemical reactor for selective hydrogenation of asphaltene molecules at room temperature in absence of a catalyst

Asphaltenes comprehend a mixture of fluorescent aromatic compounds and are responsible for many problems in the petrochemical industry during production, transportation, and oil refining. Hydrogenation of the aromatic components is a procedure to turn this insoluble fraction into a soluble one, minimizing all the mentioned problems. Here, we show a method for the selective hydrogenation of aromatic species of asphaltenes at room temperature without a catalyst, using only a monochromatic LED reactor and 1,4-cyclohexadiene as a hydrogen donor. For this purpose, high-power photochemical reactors based on LED sources were designed. The reactor showed high photon intensity and photon flux homogeneity along its length. Photohydrogenation reactions were carried out using blue, green, or red LED sources, and different hydrogenated mixtures were selectively obtained. Graphical abstract