Disclosed herein is a system and method capable of producing butadiene from a product stream.

Disclosed is a process for producing mixed xylenes and C.sub.9+ hydrocarbons in which an aromatic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising benzene and/or toluene is contacted with an alkylating agent comprising methanol and/or dimethyl ether under alkylation conditions in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to produce an alkylated aromatic product stream comprising the mixed xylenes and C.sub.9+ hydrocarbons. The mixed xylenes are subsequently converted to para-xylene, and the C.sub.9+ hydrocarbons and its components may be supplied as motor fuels blending components. The alkylation catalyst comprises a molecular sieve having a Constraint Index in the range from greater than zero up to about 3. The molar ratio of aromatic hydrocarbon to alkylating agent is in the range of greater than 1:1 to less than 4:1.

Systems and methods are provided for performing steam cracking on a feed while using direct heating of the reaction environment. The heating of the reaction environment can be achieved in part by transporting heat transfer particles from a heating zone to cracking zone. This can be performed in a fluidized bed reactor, a moving bed reactor, a riser reactor, or another type of reactor that can allow for catalyst movement and regeneration during operation.

An electrochemical conversion method for converting at least a portion of a first mixture comprising hydrocarbon to C.sub.2+ unsaturates by repeatedly applying an electric potential difference, V(.sub.1), to a first electrode of an electrochemical cell during a first time interval .sub.1; and reducing the electric potential difference, V(.sub.1), to a second electric potential difference, V(.sub.2), for a second time interval .sub.2, wherein .sub.2.sub.1. The method is beneficial, among other things, for reducing coke formation in the electrochemical production of C.sub.2+ unsaturates in an electrochemical cell. Accordingly, a method of reducing coke formation in the electrochemical conversion of such mixtures and a method for electrochemically converting carbon to C.sub.2+ unsaturates as well as an apparatus for such methods are also provided.

A process utilizing a micro-emulsion is described. The micro-emulsion formed by contacting an ionic liquid, a co-solvent, a hydrocarbon, an optional surfactant, and an optional catalyst promoter to form the micro-emulsion. The micro-emulsion comprises a hydrocarbon component comprising the hydrocarbon and an ionic liquid component comprising the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than a polarity of the hydrocarbon. The ionic liquid is present in an amount of 0.05 wt % to 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion. A product mixture comprising a product is produced in a process zone containing the micro-emulsion.

A process utilizing a micro-emulsion is described. The micro-emulsion formed by contacting an ionic liquid, a co-solvent, a hydrocarbon, an optional surfactant, and an optional catalyst promoter to form the micro-emulsion. The micro-emulsion comprises a hydrocarbon component comprising the hydrocarbon and an ionic liquid component comprising the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than a polarity of the hydrocarbon. The ionic liquid is present in an amount of 0.05 wt % to 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion. A product mixture comprising a product is produced in a process zone containing the micro-emulsion.

In an embodiment, a process for converting a hydrocarbon feed includes introducing a hydrocarbon feed comprising a C.sub.2-C.sub.50 acyclic alkane and a C.sub.3-C.sub.50 cyclic alkane to a catalyst composition in a reactor. The process further includes converting the hydrocarbon feed in the reactor under reactor conditions to a product mixture comprising at least one of a C.sub.6-C.sub.9 aromatic product or a C.sub.12+ distillate product.

Wholly biobased MTBE and ETBE fuel additive materials are described, together with fuel compositions including such additives and processes for making the wholly biobased MTBE and ETBE using isobutene prepared from acetic acid in the presence of a Zn.sub.xZr.sub.yO.sub.z mixed oxide catalyst.

In a process for producing paraxylene, a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising benzene and/or toluene is contacted with an alkylating reagent comprising methanol and/or dimethyl ether in an alkylation reaction zone under alkylation conditions in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to produce an alkylated product comprising xylenes. The alkylation catalyst comprises a molecular sieve having a Constraint Index 5, and the alkylation conditions comprise a temperature less than 500 C. At least part of the alkylated product is supplied to a paraxylene recovery unit to recover paraxylene and produce a paraxylene-depleted stream, which is then contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the paraxylene-depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream having a higher concentration of paraxylene than the paraxylene-depleted stream. At least part of the isomerized stream is then recycled to the paraxylene recovery unit to recover the paraxylene therein.

Methods and related systems are disclosed for condensing a minor portion of an effluent stream from an alkylation reactor by contacting the effluent stream with a first liquid hydrocarbon quench stream and a second liquid hydrocarbon quench stream. The effluent stream includes catalyst fines from the reactor, and at least a portion of the catalyst fines are carried with the condensed minor portion of the effluent stream.