Patent ID: 8471083

Claim:
A process for producing para-xylene comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a hydrocarbonaceous feed wherein at least 50 wt. % of said feed boils above 550° F., in a first reaction zone comprising a hydrocracking catalyst under hydrocracking conditions to form an effluent; (b) separating the effluent into at least a C 8 containing fraction comprising at least 10 wt. % C 8 paraffinic hydrocarbons; (c) providing the C 8 containing fraction to a second reaction zone; (d) contacting the C 8 containing fraction under reforming reaction conditions with a reforming catalyst comprising a medium pore zeolite having a silica to alumina molar ratio of at least 200, a crystallite size of less than 10 microns and an alkali content of less than 5000 ppm in a second reaction zone to produce a product stream comprising para-xylene and meta-xylene wherein the para-xylene to meta-xylene ratio is at least 0.9; and (e) separating the para-xylene from the product stream.