Separation of tetra-alkyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbon isomers

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING TETRA-ALKYL SUBSTITUTED MONOCYELIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON ISOMERS, THE ALKYL CONSTITUENTS CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, EACH, FROM A FEED MIXTURE COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO OF SAID ISOMERS WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID FEED WITH A CRYSTALLINE ALUMINOSILICATE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TYPE X STRUCTURED AND TYPE Y STRUCTURED ZEOLITES CONTAINING AT EXCHANGABLE CATIONIC SITES AT LEAST ONE CARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CATIONS OF GROUP 1-A METALS THEREBY SELECTIVELY ADSORBING AT ADSORPTION CONDITIONS ONE OR MORE OF SAID ISOMERS.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said isomers are trimethylcumene isomers.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said crystalline aluminosilicate contains at the cationic exchangeable sites at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of sodium, potassium and cesium.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 further characterized in being effected at a temperature within the range of from about 70* F. to about 450* F. and at a pressure within the range of from about atmospheric to about 500 psig.

Claim 6

A process for separating trimethylcumene isomers from a hydrocarbon feed mixture comprising 2,4,5-trimethylcumene and at least one other trimethylcumene isomer which process comprises contacting said feed with a solid adsorbent selected from the group consisting of type X and type Y structured zeolites containing at exchangeable cationic sites at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of sodium, potassium and cesium, whereby there is obtained a raffinate stream comprising a less selectively adsorbed component of said mixture and a rich adsorbent containing a more selectively adsorbed component of said mixture, the ratio of said isomers in said raffinate stream being different from the ratio of said isomers in said feed mixture.

Claim 7

A process for separating trimethylcumene isomers from a hydrocarbon feed mixture comprising 2,4,5-trimethylcumene and at least one other trimethylcumene isomer which process comprises contacting said feed with a solid adsorbent selected from the group consisting of type X and type Y structured zeolites containing at exchangeable cationic sites at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of sodium, potassium and cesium, whereby there is obtained a raffinate stream comprising a less selectively adsorbed component of said mixture and a rich adsorbent containing a more selectively adsorbed component of said mixture, the ratio of said isomers in said raffinate stream being different from the ratio of said isomers in said feed mixture.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 further characterized in that said solid adsorbent is a type X structured zeolite and contains potassium cations at the exchangeable cationic sites within said zeolite.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 further characterized in that said solid adsorbent contains a modifier selected from the group consisting of water, methanol and ethanol.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 further characterized in being effected at a temperature within the range of from about 70* F. to about 450* F. and at a pressure within the range of from about atmospheric to about 500 psig.

Claim 11

The process of claim 5 including the step of treating said rich adsorbent at desorption conditions with a desorbent material to desorb said adsorbed component therefrom as part of an extract stream.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 further characterized in that said desorbent material has a boiling point substantially different from that of the trimethylcumene isomers.

Claim 13

The process of claim 10 further characterized in that said desorbent material comprises toluene.

Claim 14

The process of claim 5 further characterized in that 2,4,5-trimethylcumene is a less selectively adsorbed component of said feed mixture.

Claim 15

The process of claim 5 further characterized in that said feed mixture is obtained from the alkylation of pseudocumene with propylene in the presence of hydrogen fluoride.

Claim 16

A process for separating at least one trimethylcumene isomer from a hydrocarbon feed mixture comprising 2,4,5-trimethylcumene and at least one other trimethylcumene isomer which process comprises the steps of: a. contacting the feed mixture with a bed of solid adsorbent selected from the group consisting of type X and type Y structured zeolites containing at exchangeable cationic sites at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of sodium, potassium and cesium at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of an isomer; b. withdrawing from the bed of solid adsorbent a stream comprising less selectively adsorbed 2,4,5-trimethylcumene; c. contacting the adsorbent bed at desorption conditions with a desorbent material having a boiling point substantially different from that of the trimethylcumene isomers to effect the removal of the selectively adsorbed isomer; and, d. withdrawing from the solid adsorbent bed a stream comprising desorbent material and the selectively adsorbed isomer.

Claim 17

A process for separating at least one trimethylcumene isomer from a hydrocarbon feed mixture comprising 2,4,5-trimethylcumene and at least one other trimethylcumene isomer which process comprises the steps of: a. contacting the feed mixture with a bed of solid adsorbent selected from the group consisting of type X and type Y structured zeolites containing at exchangeable cationic sites at least one cation selected from the group consisting of cations of sodium, potassium and cesium at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of an isomer; b. withdrawing from the bed of solid adsorbent a stream comprising less selectively adsorbed 2,4,5-trimethylcumene; c. contacting the adsorbent bed at desorption conditions with a desorbent material having a boiling point substantially different from that of the trimethylcumene isomers to effect the removal of the selectively adsorbed isomer; and, d. withdrawing from the solid adsorbent bed a stream comprising desorbent material and the selectively adsorbed isomer.

Claim 18

The process of claim 14 further characterized in that said solid adsorbent is type X structured zeolite and contains potassium cations at the cationic exchangeable sites within said zeolite.

Claim 19

The process of claim 14 further characterized in that said adsorption conditions and desorption conditions include a temperature within the range of from about 70* F. to about 450* F. and a pressure within the range of from about atmospheric to about 500 psig.

Claim 20

The process of claim 14 further characterized in being effected in the liquid phase.

Claim 21

The process of claim 14 further characterized in that said desorbent material comprises toluene.

Claim 22

The process of claim 14 further characterized in that said solid adsorbent contains a modifier selected from the group consisting of water, methanol and ethanol.

Claim 23

The process of claim 14 further characterized in that said feed mixture is obtained by the alkylation of pseudocumene with propylene in the presence of hydrogen fluoride.