Alkylation process

Improved process for the supported liquid phase alkylation of an aliphatic hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of a fluorinated sulfonic acid catalyst with an olefinic alkylation agent in a reactor containing a fixed bed of particulate polar contact material, wherein a reaction zone with the fluorinated sulfonic acid catalyst is movable established by adsorbing the acid catalyst within a confined area of the contact material and passing a process stream of the aliphatic hydrocarbon feedstock and the olefinic alklyating agent through the reactor and the reaction zone, and withdrawing an alkylated product stream from the reactor, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of:

• mixing and dissolving the fluorinated sulfonic acid alkylation catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent, the solvent comprising C.sub.3 -C.sub.9 hydrocarbons;
• introducing the fluorinated sulfonic acid alkylation catalyst into the reactor dissolved in the hydrocarbon solvent;
• and
• adsorbing the acid catalyst in the solution of the hydrocarbon solvent on the contact material at an inlet end of the reactor.