Alkylation of aromatic compounds

A process for making at least one alkylated aromatic compound of the Formula:

• wherein:
• a) Q1 is H, —CH3, —C2H5, or CH3—CH—CH3;
• b) Q2 is H, —CH3 or —C2H5;
• and
• c) Q3 is —C2H5 or C3 to C18 straight chain alkyl group having therein a single CH group, the carbon atom of which is bonded to the aromatic compound;
• by a process comprising:
• (1) reacting a C2 to C18 straight-chain monoolefin with an aromatic compound of the Formula:
• wherein Q1 and Q2 are as defined above;
• in an ionic liquid of the Formula:
• wherein:
• (i) Z is —(CH2)n—, wherein n is an integer from 2 to 12;
• (ii) R2, R3 and R4 taken independently are H, —CH3, —CH2CH3 or C3 to C6 straight-chain or branched monovalent alkyl;
• and
• (iii) A− is an anion selected from the group consisting of [BF4]−, [PF6]−, [SbF6]−, [CH3CO2]−, [HSO4]−, [CF3SO3]−, [HCF2CF2SO3]−, [CF3HFCCF2SO3]−, [HCClFCF2SO3]−, [(CF3SO2)2N]−, [AlCl4]−, [CF3CO2]−, [NO3]−, [SO4]2−, Cl−, Br−, I−, and F−;
• in the presence of an acid catalyst that is soluble in the ionic liquid, at a temperature between about 25 degrees C. and about 200 degrees C., and a pressure between atmospheric pressure and that pressure required to maintain the reactants in a liquid state, wherein at the start of the reaction the aromatic compound is in molar excess relative to the monoolefin,
• to form a reaction product that comprises an organic phase that contains the at least one alkyl aromatic compound and an ionic liquid phase that contains the acid catalyst, and
• (2) separating the organic phase comprising the at least one alkylated aromatic compound from the ionic liquid phase.