Toluene disproportionation process utilizing mild sulfiding during startup

A method for the disproportionation of a toluene feedstock to provide a disproportionation product containing xylene and benzene comprising:

• (a) providing a catalytic reaction zone containing at least one catalyst bed comprising a mordenite disproportionation catalyst modified by the inclusion of nickel into said catalyst;
• (b) establishing a first temperature within said reaction zone within the range of 100-450° C. and at said temperature, contacting the nickel-modified disproportionation catalyst in said reaction zone with hydrogen sulfide to passivate active nickel sites;
• (c) supplying a toluene-containing feedstock into said reaction zone and into contact with said nickel-modified mordenite catalyst at a temperature which is greater than said first recited temperature and under temperature and pressure conditions effective to carry out the disproportionation of toluene to produce a disproportionation product containing benzene and xylene in the presence of said nickel-modified disproportionation catalyst;
• and
• (d) withdrawing said disproportionation product from said reaction zone.

A method for the disproportionation of a toluene feedstock to provide a disproportionation product containing xylene and benzene comprising:

• (a) providing a catalytic reaction zone containing at least one catalyst bed comprising a mordenite disproportionation catalyst modified by the inclusion of nickel into said catalyst;
• (b) contacting the nickel-modified disproportionation catalyst in said reaction zone with a sulfur-containing compound at a temperature and in an amount effective to passivate active nickel sites in said catalyst and provide a total amount of sulfur to produce a sulfur to nickel mole ratio of at least 1:30;
• (c) thereafter supplying a toluene-containing feedstock into said reaction zone and into contact with said nickel-modified mordenite catalyst at a temperature which is effective to carry out the disproportionation of toluene to produce a disproportionation product containing benzene and xylene in the presence of said nickel-modified disproportionation catalyst;
• (d) withdrawing said disproportionation product from said reaction zone;