1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for alkylating benzene compounds with detergent range olefins using a tungsten oxide catalyst supported on a silica-alumina support.
2. Background
Alkylated aromatics are important materials that have utility for several applications. For example, the so-called "linear alkyl benzenes", which are benzenes which have been alkylated with detergent range linear olefins, are useful detergent intermediates. At present, these compounds are manufactured by two different processes, namely AlCl.sub.3 -catalyzed alkylation of aromatics with monochloro-paraffins and HF-catalyzed alkylation with internal olefins. In principle, advantages could result from using a non-corrosive and environmentally attractive heterogeneous catalyst in a fixed-bed mode of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,677 issued October 20, 1964, teaches the use of supported tungsten oxide to alkylate benzene compounds with C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 range olefins. Tungsten oxide materials, however, are generally known as disproportionation catalysts, particularly when used in the presence of detergent-range olefins. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,879 issued July 19, 1966, 3,365,513 issued Jan. 23, 1968 and 3,445,541 issued May 20, 1969. This tendency of tungsten oxide materials to disproportionate higher olefins presents a serious problem when benzene compounds are alkylated with detergent range olefinic materials.