Patent ID: 6489527
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A reactive purification process for producing at least 99.5 wt. % para-xylene from a mixture of isomers of xylene which contains more than about 90 wt. % para-xylene and which has been produced by a process exclusive of a selective alkylation process consisting essentially of the steps of:(a) alkylating substantially all of the isomers of xylene other than para-xylene in the mixture of xylene isomers, wherein the mixture of xylene isomers contains between about 90 and 99.8 wt. % para-xylene, with an alkylating agent, while alkylating substantially none of the para-xylene; and (b) separating the para-xylene in at least 99.5 wt. % purity and at least greater than the concentration of para-xylene in the mixture of xylene isomers, from the alkylated xylene isomers to give the final product stream.