Method of making BTX compounds including benzene, toluene, and xylene, including feeding heavy reformate to a reactor containing a composite zeolite catalyst. The composite zeolite catalyst includes a mixture of layered mordenite (MOR-L) comprising a layered or rod-type morphology with a layer thickness less than 30 nm and ZSM-5. The MOR-L, the ZSM-5, or both include one or more impregnated metals. The method further includes producing the BTX compounds by simultaneously performing transalkylation and dealkylation of the heavy reformate in the reactor. The composite zeolite catalyst is able to simultaneously catalyze both the transalkylation and dealkylation reactions.

A disproportionation and transalkylation catalyst can be used in the catalytic conversion of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst contains an acidic molecular sieve, a first metal component immobilized on the acidic molecular sieve and an oxide additive. The first metal contained in the first metal component is at least one selected from the group of Group VB metals, Group VIB metals and Group VIIB metals, the catalyst has a mediate strong acid content of 0.05-2.0 mmol/g of catalyst, and a ratio of the mediate strong acid content to the total acid content of 60-99%. When used in the catalytic conversion of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, the catalyst exhibits high reaction activity, low aromatic hydrocarbon loss rate.

A disproportionation and transalkylation catalyst can be used in the catalytic conversion of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst contains an acidic molecular sieve, a first metal component immobilized on the acidic molecular sieve and an oxide additive. The first metal contained in the first metal component is at least one selected from the group of Group VB metals, Group VIB metals and Group VIIB metals, the catalyst has a mediate strong acid content of 0.05-2.0 mmol/g of catalyst, and a ratio of the mediate strong acid content to the total acid content of 60-99%. When used in the catalytic conversion of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons, the catalyst exhibits high reaction activity, low aromatic hydrocarbon loss rate.

A process for producing a monoalkylated benzene comprises contacting benzene with a mixture comprising dialkylated and trialkylated benzenes in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst composition under transalkylation conditions effective to convert at least part of the dialkylated and trialkylated benzene to monoalkylated benzene, wherein the catalyst composition comprises a metallosilicate zeolite comprising openings defined by 14-membered rings of tetrahedrally coordinated atoms and the transalkylation conditions include a temperature in the range of 160° C. to 220° C.

A process for producing a mono-alkylated benzene comprises contacting benzene with di-alkylated benzene(s) and/or tri-alkylated benzene(s) in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst composition under transalkylation conditions to convert at least part of the di-alkylated benzene(s) and tri-alkylated benzene(s) to mono-alkylated benzene. The transalkylation catalyst composition comprises a treated zeolitic material having increased mesoporous surface area compared to the precursor catalyst composition from which it is made.

Methods are provided for activation of catalysts comprising low amounts of a hydrogenation metal, such as low amounts of a Group 8-10 noble metal. The amount of hydrogenation metal on the catalyst can correspond to 0.5 wt % or less (with respect to the weight of the catalyst), or 0.1 wt % or less, or 0.05 wt % or less. Prior to loading a catalyst into a reactor, the corresponding catalyst precursor can be first activated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 1.0 vppm of CO or less. The thus first-activated catalyst can be transferred to a reactor with optional exposure to oxygen during the transfer, where it can be further activated using a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 3.0 vppm of CO or higher, to yield a twice-activated catalyst with high performance. The catalyst can be advantageously a transalkylation catalyst or an isomerization catalyst useful for converting aromatic hydrocarbons.

Methods are provided for activation of catalysts comprising low amounts of a hydrogenation metal, such as low amounts of a Group 8-10 noble metal. The amount of hydrogenation metal on the catalyst can correspond to 0.5 wt % or less (with respect to the weight of the catalyst), or 0.1 wt % or less, or 0.05 wt % or less. Prior to loading a catalyst into a reactor, the corresponding catalyst precursor can be first activated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 1.0 vppm of CO or less. The thus first-activated catalyst can be transferred to a reactor with optional exposure to oxygen during the transfer, where it can be further activated using a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 3.0 vppm of CO or higher, to yield a twice-activated catalyst with high performance. The catalyst can be advantageously a transalkylation catalyst or an isomerization catalyst useful for converting aromatic hydrocarbons.

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 fractionated train; and an alkylating reaction section (13) for treating at least part of the benzene-comprising fraction with an ethanol source (30) and producing an alkylation effluent (31) comprising ethylbenzene, which is sent to the isomerizing unit.

Disclosed are a bifunctional catalyst and a preparation method therefor, the bifunctional catalyst being suitable to produce high-value aromatic hydrocarbons by subjecting alkylaromatic hydrocarbons to a disproportionation/transalkylation/dealkylation reaction while suppressing aromatic loss or subjecting C8 aromatic hydrocarbons to an isomerization reaction while suppressing xylene loss.

Disclosed are a bifunctional catalyst and a preparation method therefor, the bifunctional catalyst being suitable to produce high-value aromatic hydrocarbons by subjecting alkylaromatic hydrocarbons to a disproportionation/transalkylation/dealkylation reaction while suppressing aromatic loss or subjecting C8 aromatic hydrocarbons to an isomerization reaction while suppressing xylene loss.