Patent ID: 6706937
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for the operation of an aromatic conversion unit comprising:(a) providing a catalytic reaction zone containing a metal modified zeolite transalkylation catalyst; (b) supplying a toluene-containing feedstock to said reaction zone while operating said reaction zone under conditions effective for the disproportionation of toluene; (c) recovering a disproportionation product containing benzene and xylene from said reaction zone; (d) terminating the supply of said toluene-containing feedstock to said reaction zone; (e) thereafter supplying to said reaction zone containing said metal-modified zeolite catalyst a transalkylation feedstock containing a benzene component and a polyalkylated aromatic component comprising at least one polyalkyl aromatic compound having at least nine carbon atoms; (f) operating said reaction zone under conditions effective for the transalkylation of said feedstock to produce a transalkylated product having a reduced polyalkyl benzene content and an enhanced monoalkyl benzene content relative to said transalkylation feedstock; and (g) recovering said transalkylated product from said reaction zone.