Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A process for dehydrocoupling toluene which comprises contacting the toluene in the vapor phase at a temperature between about 450° C. and about 650° C. with an inorganic metal/oxygen composition represented by the empirical formula: M.sub.a.sup.1 M.sub.b.sup.2 O.sub.x where M 1 is lead and M 2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of thallium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, and mixtures thereof, and wherein a is 1, b is 0.01 to 10, and x is a number taken to satisfy the average valences of M 1 and M 2 in the oxidation state in which they exist in the composition to yield the dehydrocoupled toluene product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
A process for dehydrocoupling toluene which comprises contacting the toluene in the vapor phase at a temperature between about 450° C. and about 650° C. with an inorganic metal/oxygen composition represented by the empirical formula: M.sub.a.sup.1 M.sub.b.sup.2 O.sub.x where M 1 is lead and M 2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of thallium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, and mixtures thereof, and wherein a is 1, b is 0.01 to 10, and x is a number taken to satisfy the average valences of M 1 and M 2 in the oxidation state in which they exist in the composition to yield the dehydrocoupled toluene product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein M 2 is selected from the group consisting of barium, calcium, and strontium, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein steam is introduced with the toluene in an amount sufficient to provide a steam-to-toluene mole ratio between about 0.1 and about 10.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein b in the empirical formula representing the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is 0.5 to 5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the contacting between the toluene and the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is effected for a period between about 1 second and abour 12 seconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the temperature is between about 500° C. and about 600° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dehydrocoupling reaction is conducted in a stoichiometric mode of operation in the absence of added free oxygen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a reactant selected from the group consisting of oxygen and an oxygen-containing gas is introduced with the toluene.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to conduct the dehydrocoupling reaction in a catalytic mode of operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to provide a toluene-to-oxygen mole ratio between about 1 and 8.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the oxygen and oxygen-containing gas is introduced in an amount sufficient to conduct the dehydrocoupling reaction in a combined catalytic/stoichiometric mode of operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the inorganic metal/oxygen composition is admixed with a support material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the support material is a metal aluminate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the metal aluminate is calcium aluminate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the dehydrocoupling reaction is conducted at a toluene conversion level of about 20 to about 55 percent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 wherein the dehydrocoupled toluene product is stilbene.