Abstract: Process for the disproportionation of toluene over a nickel modified mordenite catalyst in which catalyst activity and aging quality are enhanced for carrying out the disproportionation reaction under relatively low temperature conditions with small increases of temperature as the process continues. The catalyst is loaded into a catalytic reaction zone. A preflush gas such as hydrogen is passed into the reaction zone while withdrawing the gas from the reaction zone and progressively increasing the temperature of the reaction zone to a desired level. A toluene feedstock is then passed into the reaction zone. Hydrogen is supplied with the toluene to the reaction zone, normally at a hydrogen/toluene mole ratio of 4 or less. At the conclusion of the initial transient conditions accompanying the initiation of toluene feed to the reaction zone, initial steady state conditions for disproportionation of toluene to benzene and xylene in the presence of the catalyst are established.

Abstract: A process for the alkylation of aromatic compounds employing silicalite of extremely low sodium content. A feedstock containing an aromatic substrate such as benzene is supplied along with an alkylating agent such as ethylene to a reaction zone containing a silicalite alkylation catalyst having a sodium content of less than 100 ppm Na.sub.2 O. Steam may be cofed to the reaction zone in an amount of at least 1 wt. % based upon the aromatic substrate. The low sodium silicalite has a substantially better aging quality in the alkylation process than does silicalite which normally has a higher sodium content.