The present invention relates to a device and a process for converting aromatic compounds, wherein: methyl-substituted aromatic compounds are extracted from a hydrocarbon feedstock (2) comprising aromatic compounds having at least 8 carbon atoms in an extraction unit (1), to produce at least one effluent enriched in methyl-substituted aromatic compounds (3A, 3B) and an effluent depleted in methyl-substituted aromatic compounds (4); and C2+ alkyl chains of the aromatic compounds of the depleted effluent (4) are converted into methyl groups in a hydrogenolysis unit (5) placed downstream of the extraction unit (1), to produce a hydrogenolysis effluent enriched in methyl-substituted aromatic compounds (7).

A process and system is provided including hydroisomerization reaction zone for production of high octane gasoline blending components that provide high selectivity for producing high octane isomers of light paraffins. A light paraffin feed is enriched by incorporation of dissolved hydrogen, thereby permitting a reaction phase that is liquid or substantially liquid to produce high octane gasoline blending components. Accordingly, a substantially two phase isomerization reactor system is provided, with a hydrogen-enriched liquid feedstock phase and a solid phase catalyst.

Processes incorporating a common organic chloride decomposition reactor and chloride treater to be used by both the C.sub.4 and C.sub.5-6 isomerization reaction zones are described. A portion of the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone off gas is routed to the C.sub.4 HCl absorber, which provides about 85% of the HCl requirement for the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone. A small amount of the C.sub.5-6 isomerization reaction zone off gas is mixed with the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone off gas portion going to the C.sub.4 HCl absorber.

Processes incorporating a common organic chloride decomposition reactor and chloride treater to be used by both the C.sub.4 and C.sub.5-6 isomerization reaction zones are described. A portion of the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone off gas is routed to the C.sub.4 HCl absorber, which provides about 85% of the HCl requirement for the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone. A small amount of the C.sub.5-6 isomerization reaction zone off gas is mixed with the C.sub.4 isomerization reaction zone off gas portion going to the C.sub.4 HCl absorber.

Alkyl-demethylation of C2+-hydrocarbyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbons can be utilized to treat one or more of a heavy naphtha reformate stream, a hydrotreated SCN stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon isomerization feed stream, a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon transalkylation feed stream, and similar hydrocarbon streams to produce additional quantity of xylene products.

Alkyl-demethylation of C2+-hydrocarbyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbons can be utilized to treat one or more of a heavy naphtha reformate stream, a hydrotreated SCN stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon isomerization feed stream, a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon transalkylation feed stream, and similar hydrocarbon streams to produce additional quantity of xylene products.

A process for making p-xylene comprising co-feeding toluene with C8 aromatics into a vapor phase isomerization unit can improve xylenes loss and benzene selectivity in ethylbenzene conversion

A process and system is provided including hydroisomerization reaction zone for production of high octane gasoline blending components that provide high selectivity for producing high octane isomers of light paraffins. A light paraffin feed is enriched by incorporation of dissolved hydrogen, thereby permitting a reaction phase that is liquid or substantially liquid to produce high octane gasoline blending components. Accordingly, a substantially two phase isomerization reactor system is provided, with a hydrogen-enriched liquid feedstock phase and a solid phase catalyst.

The present invention relates to a hydrogenolysis process wherein a hydrocarbon-based feedstock comprising aromatic compounds having at least 8 carbon atoms is treated by means of a hydrogen feed and in the presence of a catalyst, in order to convert C2+ alkyl chains of said aromatic compounds into methyl groups and to produce a hydrogenolysis effluent enriched in methyl-substituted aromatic compounds, wherein the catalyst comprises a support, comprising at least one refractory oxide, and an active phase comprising nickel and molybdenum, wherein: the nickel content being between 0.1 and 25% by weight relative to the total weight of the catalyst; the molybdenum content being between 0.1 and 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the catalyst; and the catalyst comprising a molar ratio of molybdenum to nickel of between 0.2 and 0.9. The present invention also relates to said catalyst and to the process for preparing said catalyst.

The present invention relates to a hydrogenolysis process wherein a hydrocarbon-based feedstock comprising aromatic compounds having at least 8 carbon atoms is treated by means of a hydrogen feed and in the presence of a catalyst, in order to convert C2+ alkyl chains of said aromatic compounds into methyl groups and to produce a hydrogenolysis effluent enriched in methyl-substituted aromatic compounds, wherein the catalyst comprises a support, comprising at least one refractory oxide, and an active phase comprising nickel and molybdenum, wherein: the nickel content being between 0.1 and 25% by weight relative to the total weight of the catalyst; the molybdenum content being between 0.1 and 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the catalyst; and the catalyst comprising a molar ratio of molybdenum to nickel of between 0.2 and 0.9. The present invention also relates to said catalyst and to the process for preparing said catalyst.