Patent ID: 8357830

Claim:
A process for producing a monoalkylated aromatic compound in an alkylation reaction zone, said process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactive guard bed upstream of said alkylation reaction zone, said reactive guard bed having a catalyst, said catalyst has a framework structure selected from the group consisting of *BEA, MWW, and FAU; (b) passing a feed to said reactive guard bed prior to entry into said alkylation reaction zone, said feed comprises at least a portion of an alkylatable aromatic compound and at least a portion of an alkylating agent, said reactive guard bed maintained under at least partial liquid phase from ambient up to said alkylation conditions; (c) alkylating said alkylatable aromatic compound with said alkylating agent to form an effluent comprised of said monoalkylated aromatic compound, polyalkylated aromatic compound(s) and any unreacted said alkylatable aromatic compound and any unreacted alkylating agent, wherein at least a portion of any reactive impurities are removed from said feed; (d) providing a first catalytic particulate material which comprises MCM-56 and an alumina binder, said first catalytic particulate material sized 50-60 mesh and having a ratio of surface area over volume ratio in the range of 241 to 2867 cm −1 , (e) providing said alkylation reaction zone with said effluent, said first catalytic particulate material, and optionally additional alkylating agent; and (f) contacting said alkylatable aromatic compound and said alkylating agent with said catalytic particulate material in said alkylation reaction zone maintained under alkylation conditions, to form a product comprised of additional said monoalkylated aromatic compound and additional said polyalkylated aromatic compound(s); whereby the molar ratio of said polyalkylated aromatic compound(s) over said monoalkylated aromatic compound produced by said first catalytic particulate material is less than the molar ratio of polyalkylated aromatic compound(s) over monoalkylated aromatic compound produced by a second catalytic particulate material and said alkylation reaction zone is operated under the same alkylation conditions, wherein at least 51 wt. % of said second catalytic particulate material having a ratio of surface area over surface volume between 78 and 79 cm −1 .