Patent ID: 8034973
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: B01J,C07C,C11D,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for obtaining a highly soluble alkyl aromatic sulfonate and with an adjustable 2-phenyl isomer content between 18%-70% by weight, by means of the catalytic alkylation of an aromatic compound with a purified alkylating agent, comprising the following steps: i) catalytically dehydrogenating a linear paraffin feed ii) selectively hydrogenating the diolefins produced as a by-product in step i) to mono-olefins iii) purifying the raw alkylating agent obtained in step ii), separating the non-linear products contained in the effluent of step ii) iv) treating the non-linear products extracted in step iii) to form the hydrotropic precursor v) alkylating the aromatic hydrocarbon with the mono-olefins present in the purified alkylating agent, by means of the combination of the following alkylation processes vi) fractioning the effluent of step v) for the purpose of separating the aromatic compounds which have not reacted, the paraffins and the heaviest by-products of the linear alkyl aromatic compounds vii) purifying the fraction of linear alkyl aromatics coming from step vi) viii) sulfonating the purified linear alkyl aromatics obtained in step vii) ix) neutralizing the linear alkyl sulfonic acid produced in step viii) wherein the catalyst producing a maximum of 20% by weight of 2-phenyl isomer comprises a FAU type zeolite, between 0.01-0.15% by weight of at least one of the metals selected from the group consisting of: Li, Na, K, Mg or Ca, and between 0.1-8% by weight of at least one of the rare earth metals selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm or Eu; and in that the catalyst producing a minimum of 20% by weight of 2-phenyl isomer comprises a MOR type zeolite, between 0.01%-0.2% by weight of at least one of the metals selected from the group consisting of: Li, Na, K, Mg or Ca, with a maximum of 0.01% of Na, and between 0-0.5% by weight of at least one of the metals selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf.