US Patent 8450232 Catalysts useful for the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons

A catalyst useful for the alkylation or transalkylation of aromatic compounds is disclosed. The catalyst is an acid-treated zeolitic catalyst produced by a process including contacting an acidic zeolitic catalyst comprising surface non-framework aluminum and framework aluminum with an organic dibasic acid at a catalyst to acid weight ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 20:1 and at a temperature in the range from about 50° C. to about 100° C. to selectively remove at least a portion of the surface non-framework aluminum. The resulting catalyst may have a measured first-order rate constant, kcum, for the alkylation of benzene with propylene to form cumene, of at least 2.0 cm3/s g.