| abstract |
A process for the preparation of alkylbenzenes is provided, the process comprising: a top reaction zone containing an alkylation catalyst of C1 to C6 alcohol and benzene and a transalkyl which may be the same as or different from the alkylation catalyst Feed to a catalytic distillation reactor system comprising a bottom reaction zone containing a migration catalyst; Simultaneously within the catalytic distillation reactor system: a portion of the alcohol is reacted with benzene in the upper reaction zone such that water, alkylbenzene, dialkyl ether, unreacted alcohol, unreacted benzene and dialkyl To form a reaction mixture containing a polyalkylate comprising benzene; Reacting a portion of the polyalkalate with benzene in the lower reaction zone to form additional alkylbenzene; And fractionally distilling the reaction mixture; Recovering an overheads fraction comprising benzene, unreacted alcohol, water, and dialkyl ethers from the catalytic distillation reactor system; The bottoms fraction comprising benzene, alkylbenzenes and polyalkylates is recovered from the catalytic distillation reactor system. |