Patent ID: 7579510

Claim:
A continuous process for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock into one or more higher hydrocarbons, comprising: (a) forming alkyl halides by reacting molecular halogen with a hydrocarbon feedstock containing methane, under process conditions sufficient to form alkyl halides and hydrogen halide, whereby substantially all of the molecular halogen is consumed; (b) forming reproportionated alkyl halides by reacting some or all of the alkyl halides with an alkane feed, whereby the fraction of monohalogenated hydrocarbons present is increased; (c) contacting the reproportionated alkyl halides with a first catalyst under process conditions sufficient to form higher hydrocarbons and additional hydrogen halide; (d) separating the higher hydrocarbons from the hydrogen halide; (e) regenerating molecular halogen by contacting the hydrogen halide with a second catalyst in the presence of a source of oxygen, under process conditions sufficient to form molecular halogen and water; (f) separating the molecular halogen from water to allow reuse of the halogen; and (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) a desired number of times.