Claims
- 1. In a process for isomerizing the xylene content of a charge mixture of eight carbon atom aromatic hydrocarbon compounds which mixture contains xylene and ethylbenzene by contact at conversion conditions with a catalyst comprising a zeolite having a silica/alumina ratio greater than 12 and a constraint index of 1 to 12, the improvement resulting in conversion of ethylbenzene to benzene which comprises using as said catalyst a zeolite containing a substantial proportion of alkali metal sufficient to substantially reduce activity of said zeolite for catalysis of disproportionation reactions and maintaining a conversion temperature of about 800.degree. F. to about 1000.degree. F., said reduced activity being such that less than 2 weight per cent of xylene is lost by contacting xylene with said reduced activity catalyst at 900.degree. F., 200 psig and liquid hourly space velocity of 5.
- 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said zeolite is ZSM-5.
- 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said zeolite is sodium ZSM-5.
- 4. A process according to claim 1 wherein said catalyst also comprises a metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Table.
- 5. A process according to claim 4 wherein said zeolite is ZSM-5.
- 6. A process according to claim 4 wherein said zeolite is sodium ZSM-5.
- 7. A process according to claim 4 wherein said charge mixture is admixed with hydrogen.
- 8. A process according to claim 7 wherein said zeolite is ZSM-5.
- 9. A process according to claim 7 wherein said zeolite is sodium ZSM-5.
- 10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction is conducted at substantially atmospheric pressure.
- 11. A process according to claim 1 resulting in conversion of ethyl benzene to benzene at substantially no loss of xylene in the product as compared to the charge.
- 12. A process according to claim 1 wherein the said charge mixture contains paraffin hydrocarbons.
- 13. A process according to claim 1 wherein the said charge mixture consists essentially of aromatic hydrocarbons.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation in part of copending application Ser. No. 914,645, filed June 12, 1978.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
914645 |
Jun 1978 |
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