Transalkylation processes and catalyst compositions used therein

A process for producing ethylbenzene comprising:

• (a) providing a selectivated transalkylation catalyst composition;
• (b) providing a stream comprising poly-alkylated benzene and a stream comprising benzene, wherein said stream comprising poly-alkylated benzene comprises di-ethylbenzene;
• and
• (c) contacting said stream comprising poly-alkylated benzene with said stream comprising benzene in presence of the selectivated transalkylation catalyst composition under at leas partially liquid phase transalkylation conditions to produce a transalkylation effluen stream comprising said ethylbenzene,
• wherein a method for making said selectivated transalkylation catalyst composition comprises:
• (i) contacting an untreated transalkylation catalyst composition with a selectivating solution to form said selectivated transalkylation catalyst, said transalkylation catalyst composition comprising a zeolite in acid form and having an MWW framework structure, said selectivating solution comprises water and a cation or an anion of an element in Group 1, Group 2, or Group 17 of the Periodic Table, wherein said selectivated transalkylation catalyst composition has a higher selectivity to ethylbenzene than the selectivity of said transalkylation catalyst composition that has not been contacted with said selectivating solution when the catalysts are compared under equivalent transalkylation conditions,
• wherein said element in Group 1 is sodium or potassium, said element in Group 2 is calcium, and said element in Group 17 is chlorine,
• wherein said selectivating solution comprises dissolved ions which include one or more of the following elements:
• calcium in an amount from 600 to 750 milligrams per liter (mg/L), sodium in an amount from 400 to 500 mg/L, potassium in an amount from 40 to 80 mg/L, and chlorine in an amount from 650 to 850 mg/L,
• wherein step (i) comprises contacting said untreated transalkylation catalyst composition with said selectivating solution for 1 hour or more at a temperature in a range of 20° C. to 95° C. and at a pH of the selectivating solution in a range of 6.5 to 8.0.