Methods are provided for forming aromatic compounds from a highly unsaturated aliphatic feeds optionally in combination with methanol. The method can include dehydrogenating a feed containing at least about 50 vol % C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkanes under dehydrogenation conditions to form a dehydrogenation effluent containing at least about 25 vol % alkynes. Alternatively, other sources of alkyne-containing feeds can be used. At least a portion of the alkyne-containing feed can then be converted under effective conversion conditions to form a conversion effluent comprising a hydrocarbon product containing aromatic compounds.

Methods are provided for forming aromatic compounds from a highly unsaturated aliphatic feeds optionally in combination with methanol. The method can include dehydrogenating a feed containing at least about 50 vol % C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkanes under dehydrogenation conditions to form a dehydrogenation effluent containing at least about 25 vol % alkynes. Alternatively, other sources of alkyne-containing feeds can be used. At least a portion of the alkyne-containing feed can then be converted under effective conversion conditions to form a conversion effluent comprising a hydrocarbon product containing aromatic compounds.

Disclosed is a process for making para-xylene from toluene and/or benzene comprising (i) converting toluene and/or benzene to a first product mixture comprising mixed xylenes, (ii) obtaining a xylene mixture from the first product mixture, (iii) separating para-xylene from the xylene mixture, and (iv) transalkylating meta-xylene and/or ortho-xylene with toluene and/or benzene.

Disclosed is a process for making para-xylene from toluene and/or benzene comprising (i) converting toluene and/or benzene to a first product mixture comprising mixed xylenes, (ii) obtaining a xylene mixture from the first product mixture, (iii) separating para-xylene from the xylene mixture, and (iv) transalkylating meta-xylene and/or ortho-xylene with toluene and/or benzene.

In a process for producing para-xylene, a feed stream comprising C.sub.6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is separated into a toluene-containing stream, a C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. The toluene-containing stream is contacted with a methylating agent to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a methylated effluent stream. Para-xylene is recovered from the C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and the methylated effluent stream in a para-xylene recovery section to produce a para-xylene depleted stream, which is then contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst under liquid phase conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream. The C.sub.9+-containing stream with a transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to convert C.sub.9+-aromatics to C.sub.8−-aromatics and produce a transalkylated stream, which is recycled together with the isomerized stream to the para-xylene recovery section.

In a process for producing para-xylene, a feed stream comprising C.sub.6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is separated into a toluene-containing stream, a C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. The toluene-containing stream is contacted with a methylating agent to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a methylated effluent stream. Para-xylene is recovered from the C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and the methylated effluent stream in a para-xylene recovery section to produce a para-xylene depleted stream, which is then contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst under liquid phase conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream. The C.sub.9+-containing stream with a transalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to convert C.sub.9+-aromatics to C.sub.8−-aromatics and produce a transalkylated stream, which is recycled together with the isomerized stream to the para-xylene recovery section.

The invention relates to the field of petrochemistry and petroleum refining, and more-specifically to methods and devices for producing a concentrate of aromatic hydrocarbons from liquid hydrocarbon fractions, which involve feeding initial components into a mixer, heating said components, feeding same to a reactor in which the heated components are converted into aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of a catalyst, separating same into liquid and gas phases, feeding the gas phase into the mixer, and feeding the liquid phase into a rectification column, from which an aromatic hydrocarbon concentrate is collected, and can be used in petroleum refining and in petrochemistry for producing a concentrate aromatic hydrocarbons. According to the invention, methanol is additionally fed into the mixer. Hydrocarbon components which remain in the rectification column following collection are at least partially fed into the mixer. The liquid phase is additionally separated into liquid hydrocarbons and water, the liquid hydrocarbons are fed into the rectification column, and the water is removed. The composition of the liquid aromatic hydrocarbons, which are fed into the rectification column, is measured. In accordance with the results of the measurements, the flow rate of the initial components fed into the mixer is adjusted, and/or the temperature of the rectification column is adjusted. A proposed installation carries out the said method. The achieved technical result consists in increasing the efficiency of producing concentrates of aromatic hydrocarbons, and in increasing the content of alkylbenzenes, particularly xylenes.

The invention is directed to a process for producing benzene and LPG comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a source feed stream comprising monoaromatic compounds of formula (I), wherein R1-R5 are the same or different and are chosen from hydrogen or a linear alkyl group of 1-10 carbon atoms, and methanol in an alkylation reactor comprising a basic catalyst to obtain an alkylation product stream and subsequently (b) contacting the alkylation product stream in the presence of hydrogen in a hydrocracking reactor with a hydrocracking catalyst comprising 0.01-1 wt-% hydrogenation metal in relation to the total catalyst weight and a zeolite having a pore size of 5-8 Å and a silica (SiO2) to alumina (Al2O3) molar ratio of 5-200 to produce a hydrocracking product stream comprising benzene and LPG under process conditions including a temperature of 425-580° C., a pressure of 300-5000 kPa gauge and a Weight Hourly Space Velocity of 0.1-15 h.sup.−1.

##STR00001##

The invention is directed to a process for producing benzene and LPG comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a source feed stream comprising monoaromatic compounds of formula (I), wherein R1-R5 are the same or different and are chosen from hydrogen or a linear alkyl group of 1-10 carbon atoms, and methanol in an alkylation reactor comprising a basic catalyst to obtain an alkylation product stream and subsequently (b) contacting the alkylation product stream in the presence of hydrogen in a hydrocracking reactor with a hydrocracking catalyst comprising 0.01-1 wt-% hydrogenation metal in relation to the total catalyst weight and a zeolite having a pore size of 5-8 Å and a silica (SiO2) to alumina (Al2O3) molar ratio of 5-200 to produce a hydrocracking product stream comprising benzene and LPG under process conditions including a temperature of 425-580° C., a pressure of 300-5000 kPa gauge and a Weight Hourly Space Velocity of 0.1-15 h.sup.−1.

##STR00001##

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.