Catalytic isomerization of pentane using ionic liquids

A hydrocarbon conversion process comprising:

• isomerizing a hydrocarbon feed comprising normal C5 alkane or branched C5 alkane by contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a liquid catalyst in a reaction zone under isomerization conditions to form a product mixture comprising at least about 10 wt % branched C5 alkanes if the hydrocarbon feed was the normal C5 alkane or at least about 3 wt % normal C5 alkanes if the hydrocarbon feed was the branched C5 alkane in 1 hr based on normal C5 alkane or branched C5 alkane in the hydrocarbon feed, wherein the liquid catalyst comprises an unsupported ionic liquid and a carbocation promoter comprising a haloalkane, and wherein a mass ratio of the ionic liquid to the hydrocarbon feed is less than 0.75:1;
• wherein the organic cation is selected from the group consisting of:
• wherein R5-R11 and R18-R21 are independently selected from C1-C20 hydrocarbons, C1-C20 hydrocarbon derivatives, halogens, and H;
• wherein the ionic liquid comprises an anion selected from the group consisting of AlCl4−, Al2Cl7−, Al3Cl10−, AlCl3Br−, Al2Cl6Br−, Al3O9Br−, AlBr4−, Al2Br7−, Al3Br10−, GaCl4−, Ga2Cl7−, Ga3Cl10−, GaCl3Br−, Ga2Cl6Br−, Ga3Cl9Br−, CuCl2−, Cu2Cl3−, Cu3Cl4−, ZnCl3−, FeCl3−, FeCl4−, Fe3Cl7−, PF6−, and BF4−;
• wherein the carbocation promoter comprises 2-chloro-2-methylpropane, 2-chloropropane, 2-chlorobutane, 2-chloro-2-methylbutane, 2-chloropentane, 1-chlorohexane, 3-chloro-3-methylpentane, or combinations thereof;
• and
• disproportionating the hydrocarbon feed concurrently with the isomerizing the hydrocarbon feed.