Systems and methods are provided for integration of an aromatic formation process for converting non-aromatic hydrocarbon to an aromatic product and subsequent methylating of a portion of the aromatic product to produce a methylated product, with improvements in the aromatic formation process and/or the methylation process based on integrating portions of the secondary processing trains associated with the aromatic formation process and the methylation process. The aromatic formation process and methylation process can be used, for example, for integrated production of specialty aromatics or gasoline blending components.

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.

A method is disclosed making a molecular of TON framework type having unique properties. The method uses 1,3,4-trimethylimidazolium cations as a structure directing agent and a combined source of silicon and aluminum selected from alumina-coated silica and aluminosilicate zeolites. The obtained molecular sieve can be used in processes for dewaxing paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks.

A method is disclosed making a molecular of TON framework type having unique properties. The method uses 1,3,4-trimethylimidazolium cations as a structure directing agent and a combined source of silicon and aluminum selected from alumina-coated silica and aluminosilicate zeolites. The obtained molecular sieve can be used in processes for dewaxing paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks.

A method of producing p-xylene, the method comprising the steps of converting the C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and the hydrogen gas in the presence of a dealkylation catalyst to produce a dealkylation effluent, separating the dealkylation effluent to produce a carbon-nine (C9) aromatics stream, a xylene stream, and a toluene stream, separating the p-xylenes from the xylene stream in the p-xylene separation unit to produce a p-xylene product and a p-xylene depleted stream, converting the m-xylene and o-xylene in the p-xylene depleted stream in the isomerization unit to produce an isomerization effluent, reacting the C9 aromatics stream and the hydrogen stream in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent, separating the C6 to C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons in the isomerization effluent and the transalkylation effluent in the splitter column to produce a benzene recycle, a toluene recycle, a xylene recycle and a C9+ recycle.

A method of producing p-xylene, the method comprising the steps of converting the C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and the hydrogen gas in the presence of a dealkylation catalyst to produce a dealkylation effluent, separating the dealkylation effluent to produce a carbon-nine (C9) aromatics stream, a xylene stream, and a toluene stream, separating the p-xylenes from the xylene stream in the p-xylene separation unit to produce a p-xylene product and a p-xylene depleted stream, converting the m-xylene and o-xylene in the p-xylene depleted stream in the isomerization unit to produce an isomerization effluent, reacting the C9 aromatics stream and the hydrogen stream in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent, separating the C6 to C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons in the isomerization effluent and the transalkylation effluent in the splitter column to produce a benzene recycle, a toluene recycle, a xylene recycle and a C9+ recycle.

A method of making a xylene isomerization catalyst comprises the steps of (i) contacting a ZSM-5 zeolite starting material having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 20 to 50 and having a mesopore surface area in the range of 50 m.sup.2/gram to 200 m.sup.2/gram in a reactor with a base to provide an intermediate zeolite material; (ii) recovering the intermediate ZSM-5 zeolite material of step (i); (iii) contacting the intermediate zeolite material with an acid to provide an acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite product; (iv) recovering the acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite material; and (v) calcining the acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite material to provide a desilicated ZSM-5 zeolite product having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 20 to 150 and having a mesopore surface area in the range of 100 m.sup.2/gram to 400 m.sup.2/gram.

A method of making a xylene isomerization catalyst comprises the steps of (i) contacting a ZSM-5 zeolite starting material having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 20 to 50 and having a mesopore surface area in the range of 50 m.sup.2/gram to 200 m.sup.2/gram in a reactor with a base to provide an intermediate zeolite material; (ii) recovering the intermediate ZSM-5 zeolite material of step (i); (iii) contacting the intermediate zeolite material with an acid to provide an acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite product; (iv) recovering the acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite material; and (v) calcining the acid treated ZSM-5 zeolite material to provide a desilicated ZSM-5 zeolite product having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 20 to 150 and having a mesopore surface area in the range of 100 m.sup.2/gram to 400 m.sup.2/gram.

A process for producing xylene from C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons comprises contacting a first feedstock comprising C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons with a first catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under effective vapor phase dealkylation conditions to dealkylate part of the C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and produce a first product comprising benzene and unreacted C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons. A second feedstock comprising toluene is contacted with a second catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under effective vapor phase toluene disproportionation conditions to disproportionate at least part of the toluene and produce a second product comprising para-xylene. A third feedstock comprising C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene and/or toluene is contacted with a third catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under effective liquid phase C.sub.9+ transalkylation conditions to transalkylate at least part of the C.sub.9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and produce a third product comprising xylenes.

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.