The invention relates to the production of aromatic hydrocarbon by the conversion of a feed comprising saturated hydrocarbon. At least a portion of the saturated hydrocarbon is converted to olefinic hydrocarbon. Aromatic hydrocarbon is produced from at least a portion of the olefinic hydrocarbon using at least one dehydrocyclization catalyst comprising dehydrogenation and molecular sieve components.

The invention relates to the production of aromatic hydrocarbon by the conversion of a feed comprising C.sub.2+ non-aromatic hydrocarbon, e.g., natural gas. The invention is particularly useful in converting natural gas to liquid-phase aromatic hydrocarbon, which can be more easily transported away from remote natural gas production facilities. The conversion is carried out in the presence of a dehydrocyclization catalyst comprising dehydrogenation and molecular sieve components. The dehydrocyclization catalyst has an average residence time of 90 seconds or less.

The invention relates to converting non-aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of CO.sub.2 to produce aromatic hydrocarbon. CO.sub.2 methanation using molecular hydrogen produced during the aromatization increases aromatic hydrocarbon yield. The invention also relates to equipment and materials useful in such upgrading, to processes for carrying out such upgrading, and to the use of such processes for, e.g., natural gas upgrading.

In a process for producing methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds, a feed comprising at least one aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene and mixtures thereof is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluenes and/or (dimethylcyclohexyl)xylenes together with dialkylated C.sub.21+ compounds. At least part of the dialkylated C.sub.21+ compounds is then removed from the hydroalkylation reaction product to produce a dehydrogenation feed; and at least part of the dehydrogenation feed is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising a mixture of methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds.