Treatment of alkyl-substituted aromatic compounds

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS FROM AN OLEFIN-CONTAINING, ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CHARGE STOCK CONTAINING CONTAMINANTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS, SULFUROUS COMPOUNDS AND MIXTURES THEREOF WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES REACTING SAID CHARGE STOCK WITH HYDROGEN IN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AT HYDROGENATION CONDITIONS INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE BELOW 500*F. TO HYDROGENATE DIOLEFINS AND PARTIALLY HYDROGENATE AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID ALKYLSUBSTITUTED HYDROCARBONS, PASSING THE RESULTANT SUBSTANTIALLY DIOLEFIN-FREE EFFLUENT INTO A SECOND REACTION ZONE AND FURTHER REACTING SAID EFFLUENT WITH HYDROGEN IN CONTACT WITH A CATALYTIC COMPOSITE HAVING HYDROGENATION-DEHYDROGENATION ACTIVITY AT REACTION CONDTIONS INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 500*F. TO CONVERT NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS INTO HYDROCARBONS AND AMMONIA AND TO DEHYDROGENATE THE PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS FORMED IN SAID FIRST ZONE EFFLUENT, AND FURTHER THE RESULTING SECOND REACTION ZONE REACTION EFFLUENT, AND FURTHER REACTING THE REMAINDER OF SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE EFFLUENT WITH HYDROGEN IN A THIRD REACTION ZONSE IN CONTACT WITH A DEALKYLATION CATALYST AT DEALKYLATION CONDITIONS TO CONVERT SAID ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS TO THE CORRESPONDING AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS.