Patent ID: 8609914

Claim:
A process for converting at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms to at least one aromatic hydrocarbon, the process comprising: a) converting a reactant stream E, which comprises at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, in the presence of a catalyst under nonoxidative conditions, to a product stream P, comprising at least one aromatic hydrocarbon and hydrogen; and b) electrochemically removing at least some of the hydrogen formed in the converting from the product stream P by a gas-tight membrane-electrode assembly which comprises at least one selectively proton-conducting membrane and, on each side of the membrane, at least one electrode catalyst, wherein at least some of the hydrogen is oxidized to protons over an anode catalyst on a retentate side of the membrane, and wherein the protons, after passing through the membrane, on a permeate side over a cathode catalyst, are reduced to hydrogen.