Patent ID: 9598332
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: C07C

Claim:
1. A process for producing para-xylene, the process comprising: (a) supplying a feed comprising a mixture of xylene isomers to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the feed and produce a para-xylene depleted residual stream, wherein the feed has a Bromine Index from 5 to 2000 and comprises from 5 to 2000 ppm by weight of oxygenate contaminants; (b) contacting at least part of the para-xylene depleted residual stream with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under substantially liquid phase conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted residual stream and produce an isomerized product having a higher para-xylene content than the para-xylene depleted residual stream; (c) recycling at least part of the isomerized product to the para-xylene recovery unit; and (d) contacting at least one stream selected from the feed, the para-xylene depleted residual stream and the isomerized product with a solid acid catalyst in a treatment zone in the presence of 3-15 wt-ppm hydrogen and under conditions to reduce a level of olefinic unsaturated contaminants and oxygenate contaminants therein and produce a treated stream.