Patent ID: 7326818

Claim:
A process for the disproportionation of toluene comprising contacting a reaction stream containing toluene, under conversion conditions, with a selectivated catalyst composition prepared by a process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a catalyst comprising an acidic molecular sieve with a boron compound; (b) heating the boron-containing catalyst of step (a) at a temperature of about 650° C. to 705° C. to react said boron compound with the surface of the of the molecular sieve to form an amorphous coating on the surface of the acidic molecular sieve; and, (c) contacting the catalyst produced in step (b) with a medium containing hydrogen ions to remove unreacted boron compound from the acidic molecular sieve and to at least partially restore the acid activity of the acidic molecular sieve; said acidic molecular sieve having a Diffusion Parameter, D/r 2 , for 2,3-dimethylbutane of less than 1000×10 −6 sec −1 , when measured at a temperature of 120° C. and a 2,3-dimethylbutane pressure of 60 torr.