Multiple-stage catalyst system for self-metathesis with controlled isomerization and cracking

A process for production of a propylene from a hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene using three catalysts in a three-stage catalyst system that include an isomerization catalyst zone, a metathesis catalyst zone downstream of the isomerization zone, and a catalyst cracking zone downstream of the metathesis catalyst zone, the process comprising:

• introducing the hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene to the isomerization catalyst zone to isomerize the 2-butene to 1-butene, where the isomerization catalyst zone comprises a silica-alumina catalyst with a ratio by weight of alumina to silica from 1:99 to 20:80 and a surface area of 225 m2/g to 350 m2/g;
• passing the 2-butene and 1-butene to the metathesis catalyst zone to cross-metathesize the 2-butene and 1-butene into a metathesis product stream comprising the propylene and C4-C6 olefins, where the metathesis catalyst zone comprises a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with a metal oxide to form a mesoporous silica catalyst;
• and
• cracking the metathesis product stream in the catalyst cracking zone to produce the propylene, where the catalyst cracking zone comprises a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst,
• wherein the MFI structured silica catalyst is directly downstream of the mesoporous silica catalyst such that the metathesis product stream is passed directly from the mesoporous silica catalyst to the MFI structured silica catalyst.