Patent ID: 8110715

Claim:
In a process for manufacturing a monoalkylated aromatic compound in a reaction zone, said process comprising contacting a feedstock comprising an alkylatable aromatic compound and an alkylating agent with a catalytic particulate material at alkylation reaction conditions in a continuous stirred tank reactor to form an alkylation effluent comprising excess alkylatable aromatic compound and said monoalkylated aromatic compound, and then recovering and recycling said alkylatable aromatic compound only to said reaction zone, the improvement wherein said catalytic particulate material is manufactured from extrudate and comprises particles of from about 250 microns to about 300 microns in size having an Effectiveness Factor increased from about 25% to about 750% from that of the original extrudate, and has an external surface area to volume ratio of greater than about 79 cm −1 , wherein the catalytic particulate material comprises UZM-8, wherein said alkylating agent is ethylene, said alkylatable aromatic compound is benzene and said monoalkylated aromatic compound is ethylbenzene, or wherein said alkylating agent is propylene, said alkylatable aromatic compound is benzene and said monoalkylated aromatic compound is cumene.