Patent ID: 7122114

Claim:
A process for reducing the sulfur content of naphtha in the effluent from a fluid catalytic cracking reactor during treatment in a catalytic distillation fractionation column, the process comprising: a. drawing from the fractionation column a stream of high-sulfur hydrocarbons, full-range catalytic cracked naphtha and light cycle oil fraction boiling in the range C. sub. 5 to 500° F. b. introducing the high-sulfur hydrocarbon and naphtha stream into a reactive distillation side column for hydrodesulfurizing; c. introducing hydrogen into the side column; d. operating the side column to desulfurize the high-sulfur hydrocarbons and provide a low-sulfur content naphtha; e. separating and withdrawing a low-sulfur content naphtha fraction C. sub. 5 to 430. degree. F. boiling range from the side column; f. returning the low-sulfur content naphtha to the fractionation column; and g. recovering the low-sulfur content naphtha from an overhead stream withdrawn from the fractionation column.