Process for preparing ethylbenzene

摘要

The invention relates to a process for the production of ethylbenzene which comprises: a reaction step in which benzene is reacted with ethanol, or a mixture of ethanol and ethylene, at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, preferably in gaseous phase or in mixed gas-liquid phase, in the presence of a catalytic system containing a zeolite belonging to the BEA family, and a separation step of the product obtained. According to a preferred aspect, ethanol deriving from biomasses is used, in particular ethanol obtained from the fermentation of sugars deriving from biomasses.

主权项

1. A process for the production of ethylbenzene, comprising:
(a) reacting benzene with ethanol, or with a mixture of ethanol and ethylene, wherein the ethanol comprises water in the range of 5-20% by weight, at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, in the presence of a catalytic system comprising a zeolite belonging to the BEA family, to form a reaction mixture comprising ethylbenzene; and (b) separating the reaction mixture into an aqueous phase, a fraction (1) comprising benzene, a fraction (2) comprising ethylbenzene, and a fraction comprising a polyethylbenzene, wherein the separating (b) of the reaction mixture occurs subsequent to the reacting (a), and wherein a molar ratio of benzene to ethanol, or of benzene to ethanol plus ethylene ranges from 2 to 20, and a molar ratio of ethanol to ethylene ranges from 0.1 to 5.