Abstract: A process of preparing an alkylated benzene or mixture of alkylated benzenes involving contacting a benzene feedstock with a solid acid, such as an acidic clay or acid zeolite, in a pretreatment zone at a temperature greater than about 130° C. but less than about 300° C. to form a pretreated benzene feedstock, and thereafter contacting the pretreated benzene feedstock with (a) an alkylating agent in an alkylation zone or (b) a transalkylating agent in a transalkylation zone, in the presence of an alkylation/transalkylation catalyst so as to prepare the alkylated benzene or mixture of alkylated benzenes. The pretreatment step improves the lifetime of the alkylation/transalkylation catalyst. Preferred products are ethylbenzene and cumene.

Abstract: A zeolite-based ethylbenzene process which is suitable for retrofitting aluminum chloride-based ethylbenzene plants. The process involves alkylating benzene with ethylene in an alkylation zone in the presence of zeolite beta or Y or an MCM zeolite so as to produce an alkylation product mixture containing benzene, ethylbenzene, and polyethylbenzenes which can be separated in the aromatics recovery (distillation) stage of an aluminum chloride-based plant. The polyethylbenzenes are subsequently contacted with benzene in a transalkylation zone using zeolite beta or mordenite or Y so as to produce a transalkylation product mixture which is also separable in the aromatics recovery stage of an aluminum chloride-based plant.

Abstract: A process for the selective hydrogenation of aromatic acetylene compounds present as impurities in vinyl-aromatic compounds without substantial loss of vinyl-aromatic compound comprises adding hydrogen and an inert gas to a liquid phase vinyl-aromatic compound containing aromatic acetylene compounds and contacting the aromatic acetylene compound with hydrogen in the presence of a selective hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the partial hydrogen pressure is from about 0.001 to about 0.05 bar.

Abstract: Alkylated benzenes such as ethylbenzene and cumene are produced by alkylation and/or transalkylation in the presence of an acidic mordenite zeolite catalyst having a silica/alumina molar ratio of at least 30:1 and a crystalline structure which is determined by X-ray diffraction to be a matrix of Cmcm symmetry having dispersed therein domains of Cmmm symmetry.

Abstract: Monoalkylated benzene such as ethylbenzene and cumene or monoalkylated substituted benzene are produced by alkylation in the presence of an acidic mordenite zeolite catalyst having a silica/alumina molar ratio of at least 40:1, preferably 160:1. In a subsequent, optional process, the polyalkylated benzene or polyalkylated substituted benzene produced in the alkylation is transalkylated in the presence of an acidic mordenite zeolite catalyst.