Patent ID: 7897825

Claim:
A process for producing xylene comprising: a. contacting a C 9 + aromatic feedstock, hydrogen and a C 6 -C 7 aromatic feedstock with a first catalyst comprising 0.01 to 5 wt. % of at least one source of a first metal element of Groups 6-10 and a first molecular sieve having a Constraint Index in a range of 3-12 under first conditions to form a first product, wherein said first conditions are selected such that said first product is substantially free of olefinic components and said first product contains at least 50 wt. % less ethyl-aromatic compounds and at least 75 wt. % less propyl-aromatic compounds than the C 9 + aromatic feedstock; then b. contacting at least a portion of said first product with a second catalyst comprising 0 to 5 wt. % of at least one source of a second metal element of Groups 6-10 and a second molecular sieve having a Constraint Index less than 3 under second conditions, wherein said second conditions are sufficient to transalkylate at least a portion of the C 9 + aromatic compounds in said C 9 + aromatic feedstock with at least a portion of the C 6 -C 7 aromatic compounds in said C 6 -C 7 aromatic feedstock to form a second product comprising xylene, wherein said second conditions are selected such that said second product is substantially free of olefinic components and a xylene yield is in the range of 20 to 50 wt. %, and wherein said second product contains at least 60 wt. % less ethyl-aromatic compounds and at least 70 wt. % less propyl-aromatic compounds than the C 9 + aromatic feedstock; and c. recovering said xylene.