Isomerization of alkyl aromatics using a gallium containing aluminosilicate catalyst
AssigneeThe British Petroleum Company p.l.c.
InventorsJohn R. Jones, Dennis C. Wood
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for the hydrocatalytic treatment of hydrocarbon feedstock which is a mixture of alkyl aromatics containing at least one di- or polymethyl benzene and an alkyl benzene selected from ethyl-benzene, methyl ethyl-benzene and propylbenzene by contacting the mixture at 300.degree. to 500.degree. C., a pressure of 0 to 100 bars gauge and in the presence of hydrogen with a gallium containing aluminosilicate catalyst and recovering the desired product. The aluminosilicate has a silica to alumina ratio of between 10:1 and 100:1 on a molar bases. The xylene products are useful raw materials as such or for making the corresponding dicarboxylic acids.
Claims10
A process for the hydrocatalytic treatment of a feedstock comprising a mixture of alkyl aromatics, containing at least one di- or polymethyl benzene and an alkyl benzene selected from ethyl-benzene, methylethylbenzene and propylbenzene which process comprises contacting said mixture at a temperature of from 300.degree. to 500.degree. C., a pressure of from 0 to 100 bars gauge and in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of an aluminosilicate having a gallium compound deposited thereon and/or an aluminosilicate in which the cations have been exchanged with gallium ions so that the monoalkylbenzenes mainly undergo isomerization to form xylenes or polymethyl benzenes, and recovering a product containing isomerised di- or polymethyl benzenes and a reduced content of the alkyl benzene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.