Patent ID: 8278494

Claim:
A method of producing a linear alkylbenzene, the method comprising: a) introducing one or more olefins into an aromatic stream to form a reactant stream; and b) subjecting said reactant stream to a shear rate of greater than about 20,000s − 1 and to a high shear mixing at a tip speed of at least about 23 m/s in a high shear device to form gas bubbles having a mean diameter of less than 100 nm to produce a high shear product stream, wherein the high shear device comprises at least one generator comprising a rotor and a complementarily-shaped stator; and c) separating linear alkylbenzene from the high shear product stream, wherein said linear alkylbenzene is formed at a temperature in the range of from about 0° C. to about 60° C.