Process for producing BTX from a C5—C12 hydrocarbon mixture

A process for producing benzene comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a hydrocracking feed stream comprising C5-C12 hydrocarbons,
• (b) contacting the hydrocracking feed stream in the presence of hydrogen with a hydrocracking catalyst under process conditions including a temperature of 425-580° C., a pressure of 300-5000 kPa gauge and a Weight Hourly Space Velocity of 3-3010 to produce a hydrocracking product stream comprising BTX, and
• (c) separating the BTX from the hydrocracking product stream,
• wherein the hydrocracking catalyst comprises a shaped body comprising a zeolite, a binder and a hydrogenation metal deposited on the shaped body,
• wherein the amount of the hydrogenation metal is 0.035-0.080 wt % with respect to the total catalyst,
• wherein the zeolite is ZSM-5 having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 25-75,
• wherein the hydrocracking catalyst comprises less than 0.01 parts molybdenum on the basis of 100 parts by weight of the total catalyst, and
• wherein the hydrocracking catalyst comprises less than 0.01 parts tin, less than 0.02 parts lead, and less than 0.01 parts bismuth on the basis of 100 parts by weight of the total catalyst.