Alkylation of Toluene to Form Styrene and Ethylbenzene

Abstract

A process is disclosed for making styrene and/or ethylbenzene by reacting toluene with a C1 source over a catalyst in one or more reactors to form a product stream comprising styrene and/or ethylbenzene where the catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 1 hour.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A process for making ethylbenzene comprising:
 reacting toluene with a C1 source over a catalyst in one or more reactors to form a product stream comprising ethylbenzene, wherein catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 10 minutes.   
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 1 minute. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 30 seconds. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 34 , wherein catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 5 seconds. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more reactors comprises a reaction zone under reaction conditions containing a catalyst capable of catalyzing the reaction of toluene and formaldehyde to form ethylbenzene and for catalyzing the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the catalyst is a zeolite based catalyst. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein the catalyst is based on a zeolite selected from the group consisting of faujasites. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the catalyst is based on an X-type zeolite. 
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the zeolite is promoted with at least one promoter selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Ni, Co, Pd, Pt, Mn, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, K, Cs, Ga, B, P, Rb, and Na, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 40 , wherein the zeolite is promoted with at least one promoter selected from the group consisting of Cs, B, Co and Ga, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 converting at least a portion of a C1 source to formaldehyde in one or more fluidized reactors.   
     
     
         43 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the C1 source is selected from the group consisting of methanol, formaldehyde, formalin, trioxane, methylformcel, paraformaldehyde and methylal, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         44 . The process of  claim 42 , wherein the C1 source comprises a mixture of methanol and formaldehyde. 
     
     
         45 . The process of  claim 42 , wherein the feed comprises a C1 source and toluene having a molar ratio of between 1:20 and 20:1 C1 source to toluene. 
     
     
         46 . The process of  claim 45 , wherein toluene conversion is greater than 1 wt %. 
     
     
         47 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein selectivity to ethylbenzene is greater than 15 wt %. 
     
     
         48 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein one or more reactors are fluidized bed reactors. 
     
     
         49 . The process of  claim 48 , wherein the toluene and C1 source are each injected at multiple points along the fluidized bed. 
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 48 , wherein the C1 source is injected upstream of the injection of toluene.