Regioselective methylation of toluene to para-xylene

Abstract

A process and catalyst for Shape Selective Hydrocarbon Conversions such as the regioselective disproportionation of toluene to para-xylene wherein hydrocarbon to be converted is passed over a catalytic molecular sieve which is trim selectivated with a reaction stream comprising toluene and a silicon-containing high efficiency p-xylene selectivating agent under toluene conversion conditions. The toluene disproportionation process attains a single-pass para-xylene product over 95% coupled with a toluene conversion of at least 15%. The present invention also includes the highly para-selective catalyst which results from the treatment of a catalytic molecular sieve with a high efficiency p-xylene selectivating agent under the recited conditions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.