OICC Press Iranian Journal of Catalysis 2345-4865 12 4 2023 12 22 Diisopropyl Ether Production via Isopropanol Catalytic Dehydration over Zirconium Phosphate Modified Natural Zeolite 10.30495/ijc.2022.1965421.1961 EN Hasanudin Hasanudin Research Center for Chemistry, National Research and Innovation Agency(BRIN-Indonesia), Science and Technology Park B.J. Habibie, Serpong, South Tangerang 15314, Banten Indonesia 0000-0002-6328-4229 Wan Ryan Asri Biofuel Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indralaya 30662, Indonesia Jeniva Rindi Anindia Biofuel Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indralaya 30662, Indonesia 0000-0002-8740-8927 Suheryanto Suheryanto Biofuel Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indralaya 30662, Indonesia 0000-0002-6328-4229 Zainal Fanani Biofuel Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indralaya 30662, Indonesia Nino Rinaldi Research Center for Chemistry, National Research and Innovation Agency(BRIN-Indonesia), Science and Technology Park B.J. Habibie, Serpong, South Tangerang 15314, Banten Indonesia 0000-0003-1688-0519 Muhammad Al Muttaqii Research Center for Chemistry, National Research and Innovation Agency(BRIN-Indonesia), Science and Technology Park B.J. Habibie, Serpong, South Tangerang 15314, Banten Indonesia 0000-0001-5000-3478 Journal Article 2023 12 22 In this work, diisopropyl ether (DIPE) was produced through catalytic dehydration of isopropanol over zirconium phosphate-modified phosphate modified natural zeolite. The catalyst was prepared via the wet impregnation method. They were tested at 150 ˚C for 3 hours under a reflux system. The effect of zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 metal loading and zeolite-Zr without phosphate incorporation on dehydration isopropanol was also assessed. The results showed the natural zeolite was successfully modified as confirmed by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, N2 physisorption, and catalyst acidity by the gravimetric technique. The highest isopropanol conversion (66.73%) was accomplished by 8 mEq/g zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 followed by the DIPE yield and selectivity up to 35.81% and 47.8%, respectively. Further reusability investigation showed that zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 catalyst provided adequate reusability up to the fourth reused with relatively decreased catalytic activity towards isopropanol dehydration.   Highlights The natural zeolite was modified via the wet impregnation method. The natural zeolite was successfully modified as confirmed by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, N2 physisorption, and catalyst acidity measurements. The zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 had higher catalytic activity than zeolite-Zr towards isopropanol dehydration The zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 catalyst (8 mEq/g metal loading) exhibited the highest isopropanol conversion, DIPE yield and selectivity, respectively. Zeolite-Zr(H2PO4)4 catalyst provided adequate reusability up to the fourth reused towards isopropanol dehydration.