Patent ID: 7951984

Claim:
A process for preparing xylenes comprising: providing a first stream containing aromatic compounds and oxygenate compounds under pressure to a first reactor, the first reactor being operated under conditions for converting oxygenate compounds to C 3 olefin, the first reactor containing a molecular sieve type catalyst; alkylating the aromatic compounds with C 3 olefin in the first reactor to form an effluent stream rich in C6 + aromatic compounds; separating a portion of the effluent stream in a separation zone into a first stream rich in a C 7 aromatic compound, into a second stream rich in C 8 aromatic compounds, into a third stream rich in C6 aromatic compounds, into a fourth stream rich in C9+aromatic compounds, and a fifth stream rich in C4+olefins; recycling the first stream to an inlet of the first reactor; recovering the second stream comprising xylenes; passing the second stream to a xylene recovery unit; passing the third stream and the fourth stream to a second reactor for performing transalkylation reactions, thereby increasing the xylene production; and passing the fifth stream to a third reaction zone operated under the conditions to convert a portion of C4+olefin into the C3 olefin and to form a sixth stream rich in the C3 olefin.