# US 2019/0169096 A1 · Processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatics in an aromatics complex

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- Number: US 2019/0169096 A1
- Document ID: US20190169096A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/100,010
- Filed: 2018-08-09
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06
- Assignees: Uop LLC
- Applicants: Uop LLC
- Inventors: Naiyl A. Rashid; Gregory B. Kuzmanich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169096A1

## CPC

- C07C 15/08: Xylenes
- C07C 2/64: Addition to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring
- C07C 2/864: {the non-hydrocarbon is an alcohol}
- C07C 6/126: {of more than one hydrocarbon}
- C07C 15/04: Benzene
- C07C 15/06: Toluene
- C07C 2529/40: of the pentasil type, e.g. types ZSM-5, ZSM-8 or ZSM-11
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatics in an aromatics complex for producing a xylene isomer product. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for producing para-xylene by the selective methylation of toluene and/or benzene in an aromatics complex using processed toluene instead of crude toluene.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the methylation of toluene, comprising:
passing a processed toluene stream and a methanol feed stream to a toluene methylation reaction zone to produce a toluene methylation reaction zone product stream;
passing a stream comprising crude A7 and unextracted toluene and an overhead stream from a heavy aromatics column to a transalkylation reaction zone to produce a transalkyation product stream; and
passing the toluene methylation reaction zone product stream and the transalkyation product stream to a benzene column.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the processed toluene stream and at least one methanol stream are admixed before entering the reaction zone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein additional methanol streams are passed to the toluene methylation reaction zone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction zone comprises at least one reactor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the reaction zone comprises no more than four reactors.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 5% non-aromatics.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 1% non-aromatics.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 0.25% non-aromatics.

### Claim 9

An apparatus for the methylation of toluene, comprising:
a line comprising processed toluene from the toluene column in direct communication with a toluene methylation reaction zone, a line comprising methanol in direct communication with the toluene methylation zone, wherein the reaction zone is also coupled to a line comprising the reaction zone product stream;

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processed toluene stream and at least one methanol stream are admixed before entering the reaction zone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein additional methanol streams are passed to the toluene methylation reaction zone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reaction zone comprises at least one reactor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reaction zone comprises no more than four reactors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 5% non-aromatics.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 1% non-aromatics.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processed toluene may comprise less than about 0.25% non-aromatics.