Patent ID: 7102043
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for producing para-diisopropylbenzene from cumene and propylene, said process consisting of the steps of (1) introducing a feed stream into an alkylation zone wherein said feed stream is comprised of cumene and propylene, and wherein said alkylation zone contains an alkylation catalyst; (2) allowing the cumene and propylene in the feed stream to react together to produce a first mixture of para-diisopropylbenzene and meta-diisopropylbenzene; (3) fractionally distilling the mixture of para-dilsopropylbenzene and meta-diisopropylbenzene in a fractional distillation step to separate the meta-diisopropylbenzene from the para-diisopropylbenzene; (4) isomerizing the meta-diisopropylbenzene in the presence of a catalyst to produce a second mixture of para-diisopropylbenzene and meta-diisopropylbenzene; (5) recycling the second mixture of para-diisopropylbenzene and meta-diisopropylbenzene recovered from the isomerization step to the fractional distillation step; and (6) recovering the para-diisopropylbenzene that was separated from the meta-diisopropylbenzene by the fractional distillation step; wherein said process is void of benzene; and wherein the meta-diisopropylbenzene is isomerized in step (4) in the absence of cumene.