This disclosure is directed to a novel crystalline molecular sieve designated as SSZ-107, its synthesis using 1,1-diethylpyrrolidinium cations as a structure directing agent, and its use as an adsorbent and/or a catalyst.

The invention concerns a catalyst comprising at least one zeolite with structure type MTW, a matrix, at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, said catalyst having a mesopore volume increased by at least 10% compared with its initial mesopore volume, which is generally in the range 0.55 to 0.75 mL/g, at the end of a treatment with steam at a partial pressure in the range 0.01 to 0.07 MPa and at a temperature in the range 300 C. to 400 C. for at least 0.5 hour. The invention concerns the process for the preparation of said catalyst as well as an isomerization process employing said catalyst.

A method of preparing a metal-doped zeolite catalyst with a modified topology (e.g. a pillared zeolite or a delaminated zeolite), and a method of using thereof in a process for converting an alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbon stream to BTX (benzene/toluene/xylene), wherein an enhanced pore topology in the metal-doped zeolite catalyst determines a selectivity to transalkylation of trimethylbenzene to xylene, which in turn leads to a higher xylene yield. Various embodiments of the method of preparing the metal-doped zeolite catalyst, and the process for converting the alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbon stream to BTX are also provided.

Uses for a family of new crystalline molecular sieves designated SSZ-91 are disclosed. Molecular sieve SSZ-91 is structurally similar to sieves falling within the ZSM-48 family of molecular sieves, and is characterized as: (1) having a low degree of faulting, (2) a low aspect ratio that inhibits hydrocracking as compared to conventional ZSM-48 materials having an aspect ratio of greater than 8, and (3) is substantially phase pure.

Processes for selectively alkylating and/or dealkylating one ring of cyclohexylbenzyl and/or biphenyl compounds are provided. Such selective alkylation and/or dealkylation takes place through a transalkylation reaction between the cyclohexylbenzyl compound and a substituted or unsubstituted benzene, which replaces the phenyl moiety of the cyclohexylbenzyl compound. The transalkylated cyclohexylbenzyl may be dehydrogenated to give a corresponding biphenyl compound. The same reaction steps can be utilized with respect to biphenyl compounds by first partially hydrogenating one phenyl ring of the biphenyl compound, thereby obtaining a corresponding cyclohexylbenzyl compound, which may undergo the transalkylation and, optionally, subsequent dehydrogenation. Combinations of any two or more of partial hydrogenation, transalkylation, and dehydrogenation enable targeted substitution (or de-substitution) of only one ring of cyclohexylbenzyl and/or biphenyl compounds, thereby providing superior control in designing the synthesis of these compounds.

In a process for producing dialkylbiphenyl compounds, a feed comprising substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers having the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is an alkyl group and wherein the feed comprises m % by weight of isomers in which R.sup.1 is in the 2-position, based on the total weight of substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the feed; is transalkylated with a compound of formula (II): ##STR00002##
to produce a transalkylation product comprising substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers having the formula (I) and including n % by weight of isomers in which R.sup.1 is in the 2-position, based on the total weight of substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the transalkylation product, wherein n<m. At least part of the transalkylation product is then dehydrogenated under conditions effective to convert at least part of the substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the transalkylation product to dialkylbiphenyl compounds.

A method for producing double-component modified molecular sieve comprises adding molecular sieve to an aqueous solution containing phosphorus to form a mixture, allowing the mixture to react at pH of 1-10, temperature of 70-200 C. and pressure of 0.2-1.2 MPa for 10-200 min, and then filtering, drying and baking the resultant to obtain phosphorus-modified molecular sieve, and then adding the phosphorus-modified molecular sieve to an aqueous solution containing silver ions, allowing the phosphorus-modified molecular sieve to react with silver ions at 0-100 C. in dark condition for 30-150 min, and then filtering, drying and baking. The obtained double-component modified molecular sieve contains 88-99 wt % molecular sieve with a ratio of silica to alumina between 15 and 60, 0.5-10 wt % phosphorus (based on oxides) and 0.01-2 wt % silver (based on oxides), all based on dry matter. A catalyst produced from the double-component modified molecular sieve has improved hydrothermal stability and microactivity.

A process for aromatizing hydrocarbons comprises: converting at least a portion of highly branched hydrocarbons in a feed stream into selectively convertible components, and aromatizing the selectively convertible components to produce an aromatization reactor effluent. The aromatization reactor effluent comprises an aromatic product. Converting at least the portion of the highly branched hydrocarbons into the selectively convertible components may include contacting the feed stream with an isomerization catalyst in an isomerization reaction system under isomerization reaction conditions; and isomerizing the portion of the highly branched hydrocarbons in the feed stream into the selectively convertible components.

A catalyst is described comprising at least one IZM-2 zeolite containing silicon atoms and aluminium atoms, at least one matrix and at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, the zeolite having a ratio between the number of moles of silicon and the number of moles of aluminium in the range 60 to 150. Said catalyst is used in a process for the isomerization of an aromatic feed comprising at least one compound containing eight carbon atoms per molecule.

This disclosure relates to a process of converting one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes that includes providing a first stream containing one or more alkanes and oxygen to an oxidative dehydrogenation process which converts at least a portion of the one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes in an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, a second stream exiting the oxidative dehydrogenation process comprising one or more alkanes, and one or more alkenes; and providing at least a portion of the alkanes in the second stream to a catalytic membrane dehydrogenation process containing a catalyst loaded into a catalytic dehydrogenation membrane reactor which converts at least a portion of the alkanes to the corresponding alkenes and hydrogen.