Dominick Nicholas Mazzone

Process for making alkylated polycyclic aromatics

A polycyclic aromatic is contacted with an alkyl-substituted single ring aromatic, such as toluene, o-, m- or p-xylene or mesitylene, over a catalyst comprising a zeolite, such as zeolite beta, USY or ZSM-5 to alkylate the polycyclic aromatic. The polycyclic aromatic can be a fused polynuclear aromatic, e.g. phenanthrene, or an assembly of two or more cyclic systems, e.g. biphenyl. The polycyclic aromatic can also include carbocyclic systems such as fluorene and naphthalene or heterocyclic systems such as benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene. The polycyclic aromatic can be derived from a cycle oil, coker gas oil, extract of lubricant solvent refining or crude distillate fraction. The transalkylating agent can be derived from a reformate, pyrolysis gasoline or coker naphtha.