Alkyl transfer of alkyl aromatics with group i-a,ii-a,iv,or rare earth metals on boria alumina

Abstract

Abstract A PROCESS FOR THE ALKYL TRANSFER OF ALKYL AROMATICS INCLUDING CONTACTING AN ALKYL AROMATIC FEED MATERIAL, SUCH AS TOLUENE, WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING A METAL OF GROUP I-A, SUCH AS POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CESIUM, ETC., GROUP II-A, SUCH AS CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, STRONTIUM, ETC., GROUP IV, SUCH AS TIN, LEAD, TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, ETC., OR RARE EARTH METALS, SUCH AS CERIUM, THORIUM, ETC., OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM OR MIXTURES THEREOF AND BORIA DEPOSITED ON AN ALUMINA BASE AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 800 TO 1100*F., A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 0 TO 2000 P.S.I.G., AND A LIQUID HOURLY SPACE VELOCITY OF ABOUT 0.1 TO 10, AND IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN INTRODUCED AT A RATE OF ABOUT 1 TO 10 MOLES HYDROGEN PER MOLE OF HYDROCARBON FEED. PROMOTERS SELECTED FROM GROUP I, GROUP II, GROUP IV, AND THE RARE EARTH METALS OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM MAY BE ADDED TO THE CATALYST. DEACTIVATED CATALYST MAY BE PERIODICALLY REJUVENATED BY DISCONTINUING THE INTRODUCTION OF AROMATIC FEED MATERIAL AND PURGING WITH HYDROGEN AND THE CATALYST CAN BE REACTIVATED BY CALCINATION IN AN ATMOSPHERE SUCH AS AIR. WHERE TOLUENE IS THE FEED, THE ALKYL TRANSFER PRODUCT MAY BE DISTILLED TO SEPARATE BENZENE, TOLUENE AND XYLENES, THE TOLUENE MAY BE RECYCLED TO THE ALKYL TRANSFER STEP, THE XYLENES MAY BE CRYSTALLIZED TO SEPARATE PARA-XYLENE FROM THE REMAINING XYLENES, THE MOTHER LIQUOR FROM THE CRYSTALLIZATION STEP MAY THEREAFTER BE ISOMERIZED TO READJUST THE PARA-XYLENE CONTENT AND THE PRODUCT OF THE ISOMERIZATION MAY BE RECYCLED TO THE CRYSTALLIZATION ZONE.

Inventors

• 👤 Ronald A Kmecak
• 👤 Stephen M Kovach

Bibliographic Details