Patent ID: 7868219
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for producing an ethylbenzene product having a purity of at least 99.50 percent based on the weight of ethylbenzene present in the product using a hydrocarbon composition that has not undergone extraction, said process comprising: (a) providing a reformate that comprises: (i) C (b) removing C (c) alkylating the benzene present in the hydrocarbon composition without extraction of the hydrocarbon composition with ethylene in the liquid phase with a catalyst comprising a zeolite beta molecular sieve at conditions that include a temperature in the range of from about 176° C. to about 204° C., a pressure from about 0.79 to about 6.995 MPa-a sufficient to maintain the benzene in the liquid phase, a mole ratio of ethylene to benzene in the range of from about 0.75:1 to about 0.5:1, and a WHSV based on total ethylene over total catalyst for overall reactor in the range of from about 0.1 to about 10 hr (d) distilling the product of step (c) to produce an ethylbenzene product having a purity of at least 99.50 percent based on the weight of ethylbenzene present in the product.