Patent ID: 6339179
Filing Date: 2002-01-15
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for producing alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, said process comprising:a) passing a first transalkylation feed stream comprising an aromatic substrate hydrocarbon to a transalkylation reaction zone, passing a second transalkylation feed stream comprising a first alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon having more than one alkyl group to said transalkylation reaction zone, transalkylating said aromatic substrate hydrocarbon with said first alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of a first solid catalyst in said transalkylation reaction zone to produce a second alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon having at least one more alkyl group than said aromatic substrate hydrocarbon, and recovering from said transalkylation reaction zone a transalkylation effluent stream comprising said aromatic substrate hydrocarbon and said second alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon; b) passing a first alkylation feed stream comprising an alkylating agent to an alkylation reaction zone, passing a first aliquot portion of said transalkylation effluent stream to said alkylation reaction zone, and alkylating said aromatic substrate hydrocarbon with said alkylating agent in the presence of a second solid catalyst in said alkylation zone to produce an alkylation effluent stream comprising said second alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon; c) passing at least a portion of said alkylation effluent stream and a second aliquot portion of said transalkylation effluent stream to a product separation zone, separating compounds passed to the product separation zone into a product stream comprising said second alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon, a first recycle stream comprising said aromatic substrate, and a second recycle stream comprising said first alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon; d) forming at least a portion of said first transalkylation feed stream from at least a portion of said first recycle stream; and e) forming at least a portion of said second transalkylation feed stream from at least a portion of said second recycle stream.