Production of alkyl aromatic compounds

摘要

Alkyl aromatic compounds may be prepared by reacting an aromatic compound such as benzene with an alkylating agent such as an olefin or alkyl halide in the presence of an alkylation catalyst. The alkylation catalyst of the present invention comprises a clay which has been coextruded with a multi-valent metal and preferably a metal selected from the group consisting of Groups IIIA, IIIB and IVB of the Periodic Table. The resultant extrudate is then impregnated with a dissimilar multi-valent metal selected from the above named groups followed by calcination to form the desired composite. By utiilzing this catalytic composite in an alkylation reaction it is possible to obtain improved yields of alkyl aromatic compounds which may then be used in the preparation of biodegradable detergents.