Heavy aromatics processing catalyst and process of using the same

A process for producing xylene comprising:

• a. contacting a C9+ aromatic feedstock, hydrogen and a C6-C7 aromatic feedstock with a first catalyst comprising 0.01 to 5 wt. % of at least one source of a first metal element of Groups 6-10 and a first molecular sieve having a Constraint Index in a range of 3-12 under first conditions to form a first product, wherein said first conditions are selected such that said first product is substantially free of olefinic components and said first product contains at least 50 wt. % less ethyl-aromatic compounds and at least 75 wt. % less propyl-aromatic compounds than the C9+ aromatic feedstock;
• then
• b. contacting at least a portion of said first product with a second catalyst comprising 0 to 5 wt. % of at least one source of a second metal element of Groups 6-10 and a second molecular sieve having a Constraint Index less than 3 under second conditions, wherein said second conditions are sufficient to transalkylate at least a portion of the C9+ aromatic compounds in said C9+ aromatic feedstock with at least a portion of the C6-C7 aromatic compounds in said C6-C7 aromatic feedstock to form a second product comprising xylene, wherein said second conditions are selected such that said second product is substantially free of olefinic components and a xylene yield is in the range of 20 to 50 wt. %, and wherein said second product contains at least 60 wt. % less ethyl-aromatic compounds and at least 70 wt. % less propyl-aromatic compounds than the C9+ aromatic feedstock;
• and
• c. recovering said xylene, wherein said second product contains paraffinic compounds, said process further comprises a step of contacting said paraffinic compounds in said second product with a third catalyst comprising a third molecular sieve having a Constraint Index in the range of 3-12 under cracking conditions sufficient to crack at least 50 wt. % of said paraffinic compounds in said second product.