Page 97 - Chemical and process design handbook

Speight_Part II_A 11/7/01 3:16 PM Page 2.38

ALKYLBENZENES, LINEAR

Linear alkylbenzenes are made from n-paraffins (C to C ) by either partial
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dehydrogenation to olefins and addition to benzene with hydrogen fluoride
(HF) as catalyst or by chlorination of the paraffins and Friedel-Crafts reaction
with benzene and an aluminum chloride catalyst.
In one process (Fig.1), linear paraffins are dehydrogenated to linear
olefins that are then reacted with benzene over a solid heterogeneous cat-
alyst to produce the linear alkyl benzenes. Usually, the paraffins are of the
C to C chain length.
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The major uses of linear alkylbenzenes are in the manufacture of linear
alkyl sulfonates that are used for manufacture of household detergents and
industrial cleaners.

Hydrogen

Linear paraffins
Reactor
Benzene Hydrogen
Paraffin recycle
recycle
Benzene
recycle
Linear
alkylbenzenes
Separator Separator Separator

Heavy alkylate
FIGURE 1 Manufacture of linear alkylbenzenes.

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