Patent ID: 6323381
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
A process for the production of a benzene, toluene and xylene containing product which contains a reduced amount of close-boiling non-aromatics, comprising:(a) aromatizing a predominantly paraffinic feedstock in an aromatization zone over a substantially nonacidic aromatization catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal on a molecular sieve support to produce an aromatization product which comprises a toluene containing feed which comprises at least about 70% toluene and from at least about 0.2 wt % to about 5 wt % close-boiling non-aromatics;(b) contacting the toluene containing feed in a disproportionation zone with an acidic para-selective molecular sieve catalyst under conditions such that the product contains a reduced amount of close-boiling non-aromatics compared to the feed and such that at least 40% of the xylene produced is para-xylene; and(c) separating the product by distillation to recover at least benzene and xylene fractions, each of which contain less than 0.5 wt % close-boiling non-aromatic impurities.