An integrated process for producing para-xylenes may include catalytically reforming a naphtha feed stream to form a reformate stream; separating the reformate stream into a C.sub.1-C.sub.7 hydrocarbon stream and a C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon stream; exposing the C.sub.1-C.sub.7 hydrocarbon stream to a first solvent in a solvent extraction unit to form a non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream and a C.sub.6-C.sub.7 aromatics stream; separating the C.sub.6-C.sub.7 aromatics stream into at least a toluene feed stream; separating the C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon stream into a C.sub.9+ hydrocarbon stream and a xylene stream; separating the xylene stream in a p-xylene separation unit to form the para-xylene stream and a xylene isomer stream; isomerizing the xylene isomer stream to produce a para-xylene rich stream; and upgrading the toluene feed stream and the C.sub.9+ hydrocarbon stream in a hybrid dealkylation/transalkylation unit with a hydrogen stream and a hybrid transalkylation/dealkylation catalyst to produce a product stream including para-xylenes.

Disclosed is a catalyst composition and its use in a process for the conversion of a feedstock containing C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons to produce light aromatic products, comprising benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst composition comprises a mordenite zeolite synthesized from TEA or MTEA, optionally at least one first metal of Group 10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, and optionally at least one second metal of Group 11 to 15 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, wherein said mordenite zeolite has a mesopore surface area of greater than 30 m.sup.2/g and said mordenite zeolite comprises agglomerates composed of primary crystallites, wherein said primary crystallites have an average primary crystal size as measured by TEM of less than 80 nm and an aspect ratio of less than 2.

Disclosed are a catalyst system and its use in a process for the conversion of a feedstock containing C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons to produce light aromatic products, comprising benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst system comprises (a) a first catalyst bed comprising a first catalyst composition, said first catalyst composition comprising a zeolite having a constraint index of 3 to 12 combined (i) optionally with at least one first metal of Group 10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, and (ii) optionally with at least one second metal of Group 11 to 15 of the IUPAC Periodic Table; and (b) a second catalyst bed comprising a second catalyst composition, said second catalyst composition comprising (i) a meso-mordenite zeolite, combined (ii) optionally with at least one first metal of Group 10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, and (iii) optionally with at least one second metal of Group 11 to 15 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, wherein said meso-mordenite zeolite is synthesized from TEA or MTEA and having a mesopore surface area of greater than 30 m.sup.2/g and said meso-mordenite zeolite comprises agglomerates composed of primary crystallites, wherein said primary crystallites have an average primary crystal size as measured by TEM of less than 80 nm and an aspect ratio of less than 2.

Described herein are methods for converting toluene to benzene and xylene. The methods include contacting a stream comprising toluene with a hierarchical zeolite catalyst in the presence of hydrogen gas to produce the benzene and xylene via toluene disproportionation. The hierarchical zeolite catalyst includes mesoporous Mordenite. The mesoporous Mordenite includes a plurality of mesopores and at least a portion of the plurality of mesopores are uniformly arranged in an MCM-41 framework.

Disclosed are a catalyst system and its use in a process for the conversion of a feedstock containing C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons to produce light aromatic products, comprising benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst system comprises (a) a first catalyst bed comprising a first catalyst composition, said first catalyst composition comprising a zeolite having a constraint index of 3 to 12 combined (i) optionally with at least one first metal of Group 10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, and (ii) optionally with at least one second metal of Group 11 to 15 of the IUPAC Periodic Table; and (b) a second catalyst bed comprising a second catalyst composition, said second catalyst composition comprising (i) a meso-mordenite zeolite, combined (ii) optionally with at least one first metal of Group 10 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, and (iii) optionally with at least one second metal of Group 11 to 15 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, wherein said meso-mordenite zeolite is synthesized from TEA or MTEA and having a mesopore surface area of greater than 30 m.sup.2/g and said meso-mordenite zeolite comprises agglomerates composed of primary crystallites, wherein said primary crystallites have an average primary crystal size as measured by TEM of less than 80 nm and an aspect ratio of less than 2.

A catalyst and a preparation method thereof, the catalyst providing a high production yield of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the conversion of a feedstock containing alkyl aromatics to C8 aromatic hydrocarbons such as mixed xylene through at least one of disproportionation, transalkylation, and dealkylation while reducing a content of ethylbenzene in the product.

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 medium strong acid content of 0.05-2.0 mmol/g of catalyst, and a ratio of the medium 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.