Patent ID: 7816574

Claim:
In a process for manufacturing a monoalkylated aromatic compound in a reaction zone, said process comprising contacting a feedstock comprising an alkylatable aromatic compound and an alkylating agent with a catalytic particulate material at alkylation reaction conditions, the improvement wherein said catalytic particulate material is manufactured from extrudate and comprises particles of from about 125 microns to about 790 microns in size having an Effectiveness Factor increased from about 25% to about 750% from that of the original extrudate, and has an external surface area to volume ratio of greater than about 79 cm −1 , wherein the catalytic particulate material comprises porous crystalline material selected from the group consisting of a MCM-22, MCM-49, zeolite Beta and mixtures thereof, wherein said alkylating agent is ethylene, said alkylatable aromatic compound is benzene and said monoalkylated aromatic compound is ethylbenzene, or wherein said alkylating agent is propylene, said alkylatable aromatic compound is benzene and said monoalkylated aromatic compound is cumene.