The invention relates to a process for producing benzene comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hydrocracking feed stream comprising C.sub.5-C.sub.12 hydrocarbons, (b) contacting the hydrocracking feed stream in the presence of hydrogen with a hydrocracking catalyst under process conditions including a temperature of 425-580 C., a pressure of 300-5000 kPa gauge and a Weight Hourly Space Velocity of 3-30 h.sup.1 to produce a hydrocracking product stream comprising BTX and (c) separating the BTX from the hydrocracking product stream, wherein the hydrocracking catalyst comprises a shaped body comprising a zeolite and a binder and a hydrogenation metal deposited on the shaped body, wherein the amount of the hydrogenation metal is 0.010-0.30 wt-% with respect to the total catalyst and wherein the zeolite is ZSM-5 having a silica (SiO.sub.2) to alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) molar ratio of 25-75.

A reaction system for carrying out a process for production of chemicals from liquid feedstocks includes a reactor containing one or more liquid reactants, an assembly with two or more electrodes within the reactor configured to generate a high voltage discharge within the one or more liquid reactants, an electrical power supply electrically coupled to the electrodes, inlets and outlets to the reactor for delivering reactants and removing products, and a pressure controller configured to control a pressure of the liquid reactants.

A reaction system for carrying out a process for production of chemicals from liquid feedstocks includes a reactor containing one or more liquid reactants, an assembly with two or more electrodes within the reactor configured to generate a high voltage discharge within the one or more liquid reactants, an electrical power supply electrically coupled to the electrodes, inlets and outlets to the reactor for delivering reactants and removing products, and a pressure controller configured to control a pressure of the liquid reactants.

This invention relates to a process for chemically treating a carbon-containing feedstock (e.g., a polymer-based feedstock), comprising contacting (e.g., by a hydrocracking reaction) the carbon-containing feedstock and a hydrogen stream in the presence of at least one hydrocracking catalyst to produce an alkane-containing product stream. The hydrocracking catalyst comprises at least one transition metal or transition metal sulfide supported on an oxide-containing support. This invention also relates to an alkane-containing mixture obtained by the process described herein and a system/apparatus for carrying out the process described herein.

This invention relates to a process for chemically treating a carbon-containing feedstock (e.g., a polymer-based feedstock), comprising contacting (e.g., by a hydrocracking reaction) the carbon-containing feedstock and a hydrogen stream in the presence of at least one hydrocracking catalyst to produce an alkane-containing product stream. The hydrocracking catalyst comprises at least one transition metal or transition metal sulfide supported on an oxide-containing support. This invention also relates to an alkane-containing mixture obtained by the process described herein and a system/apparatus for carrying out the process described herein.