META-XYLENE PRODUCTION PROCESS

In a process for producing meta-xylene, a hydrocarbon feedstream comprising at least 5 wt.% ethylbenzene and at least 20 wt.% meta-xylene is contacted with a molecular sieve catalyst under ethylbenzene conversion conditions sufficient to provide a primary product stream depleted of more than 50 % of the ethylbenzene present in the feedstream. The primary product stream is then stripped benzene and/or toluene by-products to provide a secondary product stream comprising at least 75 wt.% mixed ortho-xylene and meta-xylene. The secondary product stream is then split to remove substantially all of the ortho-xylene present therein to provide a tertiary product stream comprising at least 95 wt.% meta-xylene.