Patent ID: 9029622
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A method for treating a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising an aromatic compound and a weakly basic nitrogen compound, the method comprising: contacting the hydrocarbon feed stream with a acidic clay at contacting conditions including a temperature of at least about 100° C. and the presence of water in an amount of at least 50 ppm relative to the hydrocarbon feed stream on a weight basis to sequentially convert the weakly basic nitrogen compound to a basic nitrogen compound and to adsorb the basic nitrogen compound from the hydrocarbon feed stream into the acidic clay to produce a treated hydrocarbon stream lower in concentration of the weakly basic nitrogen compound relative to the hydrocarbon feed stream: wherein the aromatic compound is benezene, the hydrocarbon conversion process includes one of an alkylation and transalkylation process for converting at least a portion of the benzene to ethylbenzene, and the treated hydrocarbon stream is not contacted with any additional catalyst or adsorbent material to remove impurities therefrom before being passed to the alkylation or transalkyation process.