Patent ID: 8242320

Claim:
A method for producing cumene from the alkylation of benzene with propylene, the method comprising: (a) flowing an alkylation feedstock comprising benzene and propylene to an alkylation reaction zone comprising at least three alkylation catalyst beds in series within a single alkylation reactor comprising UZM-8 zeolite having a framework Si/Al 2 molar ratio from about 27 to about 33, the heat is removed from between at least each of both pairs of adjacent beds of the at least three alkylation catalyst beds, and at a temperature difference across each of the alkylation catalyst beds is from about 15° C. (27° F.) to about 60° C. (108° F.), wherein the alkylation feedstock to the alkylation reaction zone is at a benzene : propylene molar ratio of at most about 2.5; (b) withdrawing from the alkylation reaction zone an alkylation effluent comprising cumene, wherein the propylene in the alkylation feedstock is converted in the alkylation reaction zone with a selectivity of at least about 85% to cumene; and (c) recycling a recycled portion of the alkylation effluent to the alkylation reaction zone, wherein a ratio of a flow rate of the recycled portion to a flow rate of the alkylation feedstock is less than about 0.5:1 by weight, wherein a flow of the recycled portion is divided among locations between at least each of both pairs of adjacent beds.