Patent ID: 7060863

Claim:
A process for the alkylation of an aromatic substrate comprising: (a) providing a multistage alkylation reaction zone having a plurality of series-connected catalyst beds each containing a molecular sieve aromatic alkylation catalyst, said catalyst beds being spaced from one another to provide intermediate mixing zones between adjacent-spaced catalyst beds; (b) supplying a feedstock containing an aromatic substrate and a C 2 –C 4 alkylating agent to an inlet side of said reaction zone; (c) operating said reaction zone under temperature and pressure conditions effective to cause alkylation of said aromatic substrate in the presence of said catalyst as said aromatic substrate and said alkylating agent progressively traverse said catalyst beds; (d) in at least one intermediate mixing zone between adjacent catalyst beds, supplying a quench fluid comprising at least one of said aromatic substrate and said alkylating agent into the interior of said mixing zone through a plurality of flow paths in which one portion of said flow paths is directed upwardly within said mixing zone and another portion of said flow paths is directed downwardly within said mixing zone, wherein said quench fluid is supplied to said mixing zone through a plurality of dispersion channels extending transversely within said mixing zone and spaced laterally from one another wherein at least some of said dispersion channels dispense said quench fluid through said flow paths directed upwardly and downwardly within said mixing zone; and (e) recovering alkylated product from a downstream outlet of said reaction zone.