Patent ID: 8399727

Claim:
A process for the production of para-xylene, the process comprising: (a) reacting an aromatic feedstock comprising toluene and/or benzene with methanol under alkylation conditions in a reactor in the presence of a fluidized bed of solid catalyst particles comprising ZSM-5 or ZSM-11 zeolites to produce a vapor phase effluent comprising para-xylene, water, unreacted toluene and/or benzene and solid catalyst fines; (b) contacting the vapor phase effluent with a liquid hydrocarbon quench stream under conditions to condense a minor portion of the vapor phase effluent and produce a condensate which contains at least some of the catalyst fines and which is substantially free of an aqueous phase; and (c) separating the condensate containing said catalyst fines from the remainder of the vapor phase effluent.