| abstract |
In a process for the selective production of meta-diisopropylbenzene, a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon feedstock containing meta- and ortho-diisopropylbenzene is contacted with benzene under conversion conditions with a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve selected from the group consisting of zeolite beta, mordenite and a porous crystalline inorganic oxide material having an X-ray diffraction pattern including the d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07 Angstrom. The contacting step selectively converts ortho-diisopropylbenzene in the feedstock to produce an effluent in which the ratio of meta-diispropylbenzene to ortho-diispropylbenzene is greater than that of the feedstock. The effluent is the fed to a separation zone for recovery of a product rich in meta-diisopropylbenzene. |