Process for toluene and methane coupling in a microreactor

Abstract

A process for making ethylbenzene and/or styrene by reacting toluene with methane in one or more microreactors is disclosed. In one embodiment a method of revamping an existing styrene production facility by adding one or more microreactors capable of reacting toluene with methane to produce a product stream comprising ethylbenzene and/or styrene is disclosed.

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         9 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein toluene is removed from the second product stream and recycled as an inlet stream to the one or more microreactors. 
     
     
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         27 . A method of revamping an existing styrene production facility comprising;
 providing an existing production facility; and   adding one or more microreactors to said facility, wherein said one or more microreactors are capable of reacting toluene with methane to produce a first product stream comprising ethylbenzene and/or styrene.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising sending the first product stream comprising ethylbenzene to the existing styrene production facility for further processing to form styrene. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the existing styrene production facility comprises a separation apparatus to remove at least a portion of any benzene from the first product stream, an alkylation reactor to form ethylbenzene by reacting benzene with ethylene, and a dehydrogenation reactor to form styrene by dehydrogenating ethylbenzene.