Alkylation of Benzene

Abstract

Alkylbenzene, a basic raw material used in detergents production, may be synthesized from alkanes or alkenes and benzene. The alkylation process chosen will depend on whatever raw materials are available, but all processes are complicated and call for experience on the part of operatives. The most elastic of the production processes features the alkylation of benzene with chloro derivatives of linear or branched alkanes. (Linear alkylbenzene is the more desirable product as detergents having this' as their basis are more easily biologically destroyed in sewerage and industrial effluents.) In the process, a linear dodecane fraction containing no more than 3% nonane and 0.3% tetradecane is used.