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.

A hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The process includes contacting in a reactor an inert gas with one or more catalyst compositions suitable for methylation of toluene and hydrogenation of phenol; contacting a reducing agent with the one or more catalyst compositions under conditions suitable for reducing metal oxide content of the catalyst composition; contacting at least part of toluene and/or benzene-containing with a oxygenate in the presence of the one or more catalyst compositions and under conditions effective to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a reactor effluent stream comprising para-xylene and having a lower concentration of phenol than the toluene-containing stream; separating at least one para-xylene-enriched stream from the reactor effluent stream; and separating from the at least one para-xylene enriched stream at least one toluene-enriched stream and at least one para-xylene-product stream. An apparatus for carrying out such a process is also described.

Methods of simultaneously converting butanes and methanol to olefins over Ti-containing zeolite catalysts are described. The exothermicity of the alcohols to olefins reaction is matched by endothermicity of dehydrogenation reaction of butane(s) to light olefins resulting in a thermo-neutral process. The Ti-containing zeolites provide excellent selectivity to light olefins as well as exceptionally high hydrothermal stability. The coupled reaction may advantageously be conducted in a staged reactor with methanol/DME conversion zones alternating with zones for butane(s) dehydrogenation. The resulting light olefins can then be reacted with iso-butane to produce high-octane alkylate. The net result is a highly efficient and low cost method for converting methanol and butanes to alkylate.

Methods of simultaneously converting butanes and methanol to olefins over Ti-containing zeolite catalysts are described. The exothermicity of the alcohols to olefins reaction is matched by endothermicity of dehydrogenation reaction of butane(s) to light olefins resulting in a thermo-neutral process. The Ti-containing zeolites provide excellent selectivity to light olefins as well as exceptionally high hydrothermal stability. The coupled reaction may advantageously be conducted in a staged reactor with methanol/DME conversion zones alternating with zones for butane(s) dehydrogenation. The resulting light olefins can then be reacted with iso-butane to produce high-octane alkylate. The net result is a highly efficient and low cost method for converting methanol and butanes to alkylate.

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.

A fluidized bed reactor for producing para-xylene and co-producing light olefins from benzene and methanol and/or dimethyl ether, including a first distributor and a second distributor. The first distributor is located at the bottom of the fluidized bed, and the second distributor is located at the downstream of the first distributor along a gas flow direction. Also, a method for producing para-xylene and co-producing light olefins, including the following steps: a material stream A enters a reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor from the first gas distributor; a material stream B enters the reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor from the second gas distributor; a reactant contacts a catalyst in the reaction zone to generate a gas phase stream comprising para-xylene and light olefins.

A fluidized bed reactor for producing para-xylene and co-producing light olefins from benzene and methanol and/or dimethyl ether, including a first distributor and a second distributor. The first distributor is located at the bottom of the fluidized bed, and the second distributor is located at the downstream of the first distributor along a gas flow direction. Also, a method for producing para-xylene and co-producing light olefins, including the following steps: a material stream A enters a reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor from the first gas distributor; a material stream B enters the reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor from the second gas distributor; a reactant contacts a catalyst in the reaction zone to generate a gas phase stream comprising para-xylene and light olefins.

Disclosed are a fluidized bed gas distributor and a fluidized bed reactor, the fluidized bed reactor comprising a first distributor (1) and a second distributor (2), wherein the first distributor (1) is located at the bottom of a fluidized bed, and second distributor (2) is located downstream of a gas from the first distributor (1). Also disclosed is a method for producing a para-xylene and co-producing light olefins, the method comprising the following steps: material stream A enters a reaction zone (3) of a fluidized bed reactor from a first gas distributor (1); material stream B enters the reaction zone (3) of the fluidized bed reactor from a second gas distributor (2); and the reactants are brought into contact with a catalyst in the reaction zone (3) to generate a gas phase stream comprising para-xylene and light olefins.

Disclosed are a fluidized bed gas distributor and a fluidized bed reactor, the fluidized bed reactor comprising a first distributor (1) and a second distributor (2), wherein the first distributor (1) is located at the bottom of a fluidized bed, and second distributor (2) is located downstream of a gas from the first distributor (1). Also disclosed is a method for producing a para-xylene and co-producing light olefins, the method comprising the following steps: material stream A enters a reaction zone (3) of a fluidized bed reactor from a first gas distributor (1); material stream B enters the reaction zone (3) of the fluidized bed reactor from a second gas distributor (2); and the reactants are brought into contact with a catalyst in the reaction zone (3) to generate a gas phase stream comprising para-xylene and light olefins.

Disclosed is an in-situ preparation method for a catalyst for Reaction I: methanol and/or dimethyl ether with toluene are used to prepare light olefins and co-produce para-xylene, and/or Reaction II: methanol and/or dimethyl ether with benzene are used to prepare at least one of toluene, para-xylene and light olefins, comprising: contacting at least one of a phosphorus reagent, a silylation reagent and water vapor with a molecular sieve in a reactor to prepare, in situ, the catalyst for the Reaction I and/or the Reaction II, wherein the reactor is a reactor of the Reaction I and/or the Reaction II. By directly preparing a catalyst in a reaction system, the entire chemical production process is simplified, the catalyst preparation and transfer steps are saved, and the operation thereof is easy. The catalyst prepared in situ can be directly used for in situ reactions.