Abstract: The benzene content in a gasoline pool is reduced by a process that hydrogenates a benzene-containing isomerization zone feedstream. In addition to reducing the benzene concentration, the hydrogenation zone is also used to heat the isomerization zone feed and thereby eliminate the need for an isomerization zone heater. The process employs mild saturation conditions which eliminates hydrocracking and prevents the loss of isoparaffin yield. Additional cyclic hydrocarbons produced by the saturation of benzene can be processed in the isomerization zone for ring opening to increase the available paraffinic feedstock or the isomerization zone can be operated to pass the cyclic hydrocarbons through to a product recovery section.

Abstract: An improved dehydrocyclization process for the selective conversion of light hydrocarbons to aromatics is presented. The activity of a catalyst containing nonacidic L-zeolite is greatly enhanced by the addition of water, water precursors, or mixtures thereof to the reaction zone during the dehydrocyclization reaction. Addition of between 10 and 100 wt. ppm H.sub.2 O results in a higher product yield of aromatics with increased product octane.