Toluene disproportionation

Claim 2

In a process for vapor-phase disproportionation of toluene which comprises contacting toluene with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve characterized by a silica/alumina mole ratio of greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of from about 1 to about 12 under conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation, the improvement wherein said molecular sieve as synthesized has a silica/alumina mole ratio of less than 55 and a diffusion rate constant of less than about 150 sec -1 .

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve has a silica/alumina mole ratio of from about 20 to about 40.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve has a diffusion rate constant of less than about 120 sec -1 .

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve has the structure of ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-5/ZSM-11 intermediate, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-38, ZSM-48, ZSM-50 or Beta.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve has a silica/alumina mole ratio of from about 20 to about 40, a diffusion rate constant of less than about 120 sec -1 and the structure of ZSM-5.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said molecular sieve contains cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrogen precursor, non-noble metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table and the combinations thereof.

Claim 8

The process of claim 4 wherein said molecular sieve contains cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrogen precursor, non-noble metal of Group VIII of the Periodic table and combinations thereof.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein said molecular sieve contains cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrogen precursor, non-noble metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein said conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation include a temperature of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F., a pressure of from about atmospheric to about 1000 psig, a hydrogen/hydrocarbon mole ratio of from 0 to about 10 and a weight hourly space velocity, based upon weight of active catalyst component, of from about 0.1 hr -1 to about 30 hr -1 .

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein said catalyst composition comprises said molecular sieve and a binder.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 wherein said binder is selected from the group consisting of alumina, zirconia, silica, magnesia, thoria, titania, boria and a combination thereof.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 wherein said binder comprises alumina.

Claim 14

The process of claim 1 wherein said catalyst composition is in the form of extrudate, beads or fluidizable microspheres.

Claim 15

In a process for vapor-phase disproportionation of toluene which comprises contacting toluene with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve having the structure of ZSM-5, a silica/alumina mole ratio of greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of from about 1 to about 12 under conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation including a temperature of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F., a pressure of from about atmospheric to about 1000 psig, a hydrogen/hydrocarbon mole ratio of from 0 to about 10 and a weight hourly spaced velocity, based upon weight of active catalyst component, of from about 0.1 hr -1 to about 30 -1 , the improvement wherein said crystalline molecular sieve as synthesized has a silica/alumina mole ratio of less than 55 and a diffusion rate constant of less than about 150 sec -1 .

Claim 16

In a process for vapor-phase disproportionation of toluene which comprises contacting toluene with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve having the structure of ZSM-5, a silica/alumina mole ratio of greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of from about 1 to about 12 under conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation including a temperature of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F., a pressure of from about atmospheric to about 1000 psig, a hydrogen/hydrocarbon mole ratio of from 0 to about 10 and a weight hourly spaced velocity, based upon weight of active catalyst component, of from about 0.1 hr -1 to about 30 -1 , the improvement wherein said crystalline molecular sieve as synthesized has a silica/alumina mole ratio of less than 55 and a diffusion rate constant of less than about 150 sec -1 .

Claim 17

In a process for vapor-phase disproportion of toluene which comprises contacting toluene with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve having the structure of ZSM-5, a silica/alumina mole ratio of greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of from about 1 to about 12 under conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation including a temperature of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F., a pressure of from about atmospheric to about 1000 psig, a hydrogen/hydrocarbon mole ratio of from about 0 to about 10 and a weight hourly space velocity, based upon weight of active catalyst component, of from about 0.1 -1 to about 30hr -1 the improvement wherein said crystalline molecular sieve as synthesized has a silica/alumina mole ratio of from about 20 to about 40 and a diffusion rate constant of less than about 120 sec -1 .

Claim 18

In a process for vapor-phase disproportion of toluene which comprises contacting toluene with a catalyst composition comprising a crystalline molecular sieve having the structure of ZSM-5, a silica/alumina mole ratio of greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of from about 1 to about 12 under conditions effective for accomplishing said vapor-phase disproportionation including a temperature of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F., a pressure of from about atmospheric to about 1000 psig, a hydrogen/hydrocarbon mole ratio of from about 0 to about 10 and a weight hourly space velocity, based upon weight of active catalyst component, of from about 0.1 -1 to about 30hr -1 the improvement wherein said crystalline molecular sieve as synthesized has a silica/alumina mole ratio of from about 20 to about 40 and a diffusion rate constant of less than about 120 sec -1 .