Patent ID: 7718837

Claim:
A process for alkylation of an aromatic compound comprising: supplying an aromatic feedstock comprising benzene into a reaction zone; contacting the aromatic feedstock with a metal-promoted zeolite beta molecular sieve alkylation catalyst in the reaction zone, wherein the metal-promoted zeolite molecular sieve alkylation catalyst comprises a first metal in an amount to provide a first metal/aluminum atomic ratio within a range of from about 0.1:1 to about 10:1, where the first metal is selected from the group consisting of yttrium, lanthanide series metals having an atomic number of at least 59 and combinations thereof and a second metal different from the first metal, the second metal is selected from the group consisting of yttrium, cerium, a rare earth of the lanthanide series other than lanthanum and combinations thereof, supplying ethylating agent to the reaction zone in an amount to provide an aromatic compound/alkylating agent mole ratio in the range of from about 1:1 to about 30:1 and wherein the alkylating agent comprises ethylene; operating the reaction zone at temperature and pressure conditions in which the aromatic compound is in the supercritical or liquid phase to cause alkylation of the aromatic compound in the presence of the zeolite alkylation catalyst to produce an alkylation product as a primary product with the attendant production of heavier alkylated by-products in a minor amount, wherein the primary product comprises ethylbenzene; and recovering the alkylation product from the reaction zone.