Isoparaffin alkylation with a lighter olefin and subsequently with a heavier olefin

Abstract

A process for alkylating an isoparaffin with a lighter olefin and a heavier olefin by contacting the isoparaffin with the lighter olefin and a first alkylation catalyst in a first alkylation zone, contacting the hydrocarbon effluent from the first alkylation zone with the heavier olefin and a second alkylation catalyst in a second alkylation zone, and recovering the product of the process from the hydrocarbon effluent from the second alkylation zone.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A process for producing an alkylation reaction product from an isoparaffin reactant, a lighter olefinic reactant and a heavier olefinic reactant which comprises the steps of: (a) contacting said isoparaffinic reactant and said lighter olefinic reactant with a first .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst in a first alkylation zone at first alkylation conditions;   (b) settling from said first alkylation zone a first hydrocarbon phase which comprises a portion of said isoparaffinic reactant and a portion of said alkylation reaction product;   (c) contacting said heavier olefinic reactant and at least a portion of said first hydrocarbon phase with a second .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst in a second alkylation zone at second alkylation conditions;   (d) settling from said second alkylation zone a second hydrocarbon phase which comprises at least a portion of said alkylation reaction product; and,   (e) recovering said alkylation reaction product from said second hydrocarbon phase.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein said lighter olefinic reactant comprises propylene. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein said heavier olefinic reactant comprises butylenes. .[.4. The process of claim 1 wherein said first alkylation catalyst is hydrogen fluoride alkylation catalyst..]. .[.5. The process of claim 1 wherein said second alkylation catalyst is hydrogen fluoride 
     
     
        alkylation catalyst..]. 6. The process of claim .[.4.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said first .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst .[.is a hydrogen fluoride alkylation catalyst comprising.]. .Iadd.comprises .Iaddend.about 80 wt. percent to about 99 wt. percent hydrogen fluoride and said first alkylation conditions include a 
     
     
        temperature of about 60° F. to about 150° F. 7. The process of claim .[.5.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said second .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst .[.is a hydrogen fluoride alkylation catalyst comprising.]. .Iadd.comprises .Iaddend.about 65 wt. percent to about 95 wt. percent hydrogen fluoride and said second alkylation conditions include a temperature of about 0° F. to about 
     
     
        110° F. 8. The process of claim 1 wherein an isoparaffinc recycle stream is recovered from said second hydrocarbon phase and at least a portion of said isoparaffinic recycle stream is introduced into said first 
     
     
        alkylation zone. 9. The process of claim 1 wherein said isoparaffinic reactant comprises isobutane. .[.10. The process of claim 1 wherein said first alkylation catalyst is selected from sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and a crystalline aluminosilicate catalytically active for isoparaffin-olefin alkylation..]. .[.11. The process of claim 1 wherein said second alkylation catalyst is selected from sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and a crystalline aluminosilicate catalytically active for 
     
     
        isoparaffin-olefin alkylation..]. 12. The process of claim 6 wherein said first alkylation conditions include a temperature of about 75° F. to about 120° F. and said first .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst comprises about 85 wt. percent to about 99 
     
     
        wt. percent hydrogen fluoride. 13. The process of claim 7 wherein said second alkylation conditions include a temperature of about 50° F. to about 100° F. and said second .Iadd.hydrogen fluoride .Iaddend.alkylation catalyst comprises about 70 wt. percent to about 95 wt. percent hydrogen fluoride.