Patent ID: 7371912
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for making xylene isomer comprising: (a) separating at least one xylene isomer from a separation feed stream that contains para-xylene, ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and ethylbenzene and up to about 500 ppm-mass C (b) withdrawing at least a portion of the product fraction; (c) isomerizing at least a portion of the depleted fraction to provide an isomerate containing lower boiling, by-product hydrocarbons, para-xylene, meta-xylene, ortho-xylene, ethylbenzene and C (d) fractionating by distillation at least a portion of the isomerate to provide a lower boiling fraction containing said lower boiling, by-product hydrocarbons and at least one mid-boiling fraction containing para-xylene, meta-xylene, ortho-xylene, ethylbenzene and C (e) recycling at least a portion of said at least one mid-boiling fraction as a recycle stream to step (a); and (f) providing to step (a) at least one C wherein the separation feed stream comprises the recycle stream of step (e) and the at least one C 8 aromatic feed stream.