Patent ID: 6995295

Claim:
A process for producing an alkylaromatic compound by reacting an alkylatable aromatic compound with a feed comprising an alkene and an alkane in a multistage reaction system comprising a plurality of series-connected alkylation reaction zones each containing an alkylation catalyst, the process comprising the steps of: (a) operating at least one of said alkylation reaction zones under conditions of temperature and pressure effective to cause alkylation of said aromatic compound with said alkene in the presence of said alkylation catalyst, said temperature and pressure being such that part of said aromatic compound is in the vapor phase and part is in the liquid phase; (b) withdrawing from said one alkylation reaction zone an effluent comprising said alkylaromatic compound, unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound, any unreacted alkene and said alkane; (c) removing at least part of said alkane from said one alkylation reaction zone effluent to produce an alkane-depleted effluent; and (d) supplying said alkane-depleted effluent to another of said alkylation reaction zones.