Processes are described for separating 3,4′- and 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from a mixture comprising at least 3,3′-, 3,4′- and 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl. In the processes, the mixture is cooled to produce a crystallization product comprising at least of the 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from the feed mixture and a first mother liquor product. The first mother liquor product is distilled to produce a bottoms stream enriched in 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product and an overhead stream deficient in 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product. The overhead stream is then cooled to produce a second crystallization product comprising at least part of the 3,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from the overhead stream and a second mother liquor product.

Processes are described for separating 3,4′- and 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from a mixture comprising at least 3,3′-, 3,4′- and 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl. In the processes, the mixture is cooled to produce a crystallization product comprising at least of the 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from the feed mixture and a first mother liquor product. The first mother liquor product is distilled to produce a bottoms stream enriched in 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product and an overhead stream deficient in 4,4′-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product. The overhead stream is then cooled to produce a second crystallization product comprising at least part of the 3,4′-dimethylbiphenyl from the overhead stream and a second mother liquor product.

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuels and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuels and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

A method of making a catalyst containing nanosize zeolite particles supported on a support material is disclosed. A process for making styrene or ethylbenzene by reacting toluene with a C.sub.1 source over a catalyst containing nanosize zeolite particles supported on a support material is disclosed.

Apparatus and process for converting aromatic compounds, comprising/using: a fractionating train (4-7) suitable for extracting at least one benzene-comprising fraction (22), one toluene-comprising fraction (23) and one fraction (24) comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene from the feedstock (2); a xylene separating unit (10) suitable for treating the fraction comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene and producing a para-xylene-comprising extract (39) and a raffinate (40) comprising ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and ethylbenzene; an isomerizing unit (11) for treating the raffinate and producing a para-xylene-enriched isomerizate (42), which is sent to the fractionating train; and an alkylating reaction section (13) for treating at least part of the benzene-comprising fraction with an ethylene source (30) and producing an alkylation effluent (31) comprising ethylbenzene, which is sent to the isomerizing unit.

Apparatus and process for converting aromatic compounds, comprising/using: a fractionating train (4-7) suitable for extracting at least one benzene-comprising fraction (22), one toluene-comprising fraction (23) and one fraction (24) comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene from the feedstock (2); a xylene separating unit (10) suitable for treating the fraction comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene and producing a para-xylene-comprising extract (39) and a raffinate (40) comprising ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and ethylbenzene; an isomerizing unit (11) for treating the raffinate and producing a para-xylene-enriched isomerizate (42), which is sent to the fractionating train; and an alkylating reaction section (13) for treating at least part of the benzene-comprising fraction with an ethylene source (30) and producing an alkylation effluent (31) comprising ethylbenzene, which is sent to the isomerizing unit.

The invention relates to a process for producing alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstream comprising benzene to a separation to provide a C6 cut comprising benzene, wherein the C6 cut comprises at least 60 wt-% of C6 hydrocarbons; (b) subjecting the C6 cut to catalytic cracking or thermal cracking to provide a cracking product stream comprising benzene and C2-C4 alkenes and (c) after step (b), without pre-separation of the cracking product stream, subjecting the cracking product stream to conditions suitable for alkylation to provide an alkylation product stream rich in alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein the process further comprises the steps of separating benzene and benzene coboilers from the alkylation product stream to obtain a stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers is separated into a benzene-rich stream comprising a higher proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and a benzene-lean stream comprising a lower proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the benzene-lean stream is recycled back to the catalytic cracking or thermal cracking in step (b).

The invention relates to a process for producing alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstream comprising benzene to a separation to provide a C6 cut comprising benzene, wherein the C6 cut comprises at least 60 wt-% of C6 hydrocarbons; (b) subjecting the C6 cut to catalytic cracking or thermal cracking to provide a cracking product stream comprising benzene and C2-C4 alkenes and (c) after step (b), without pre-separation of the cracking product stream, subjecting the cracking product stream to conditions suitable for alkylation to provide an alkylation product stream rich in alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein the process further comprises the steps of separating benzene and benzene coboilers from the alkylation product stream to obtain a stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers is separated into a benzene-rich stream comprising a higher proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and a benzene-lean stream comprising a lower proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the benzene-lean stream is recycled back to the catalytic cracking or thermal cracking in step (b).

The invention relates to a process for producing alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstream comprising benzene to a separation to provide a C6 cut comprising benzene, wherein the C6 cut comprises at least 60 wt-% of C6 hydrocarbons; (b) subjecting the C6 cut to catalytic cracking or thermal cracking to provide a cracking product stream comprising benzene and C2-C4 alkenes and (c) after step (b), without pre-separation of the cracking product stream, subjecting the cracking product stream to conditions suitable for alkylation to provide an alkylation product stream rich in alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein the process further comprises the steps of separating benzene and benzene coboilers from the alkylation product stream to obtain a stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers is separated into a benzene-rich stream comprising a higher proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and a benzene-lean stream comprising a lower proportion of benzene than the stream of benzene and benzene coboilers and wherein the benzene-lean stream is recycled back to the catalytic cracking or thermal cracking in step (b).