Patent ID: 7053257
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A process for preparing branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprising: hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing a paraffinic wax to produce an isoparaffinic composition comprising 0.5% or less quaternary carbon atoms, said isoparaffinic composition comprising paraffins having a carbon number of from about 7 to about 18, at least a portion of said paraffins being branched paraffins comprising an average number of branches per paraffin molecule of at least 0.5, said branches comprising a first number of methyl branches and optionally a second number of ethyl branches; exposing said isoparaffinic composition to a dehydrogenation catalyst in an amount and under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate said branched paraffins and to produce a mixture comprising branched olefins comprising 0.5% or less quaternary carbon atoms and non-converted paraffins; contacting said branched olefins with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of a quantity of an alkylation catalyst under alkylation conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon, producing said branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.