Conversion of heavy aromatics to lighter aromatics with low ring saturation and hydrocarbon cracking

1. A catalyst comprising:

a metallic function derived from a metal constrained within cages and/or channels of a microporous material, wherein the cages and/or channels of the microporous material are defined by 8 tetrahedral atoms or fewer; and

an acidic function derived from an additional zeolite having cages and/or channels defined by 10 or more tetrahedral atoms,

wherein the metal containing microporous material and the additional zeolite providing the acidic function are coupled by a binder.

2. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material is selected from the group consisting of AEI, AFT, AFX, CHA, CDO, DDR, EDI, ERI, IHW, ITE, ITQ- 55 , ITW, KFI, MER, MTF, MWF, LEV, LTA, PAU, PWY, RHO, SOD, SFW, UFI, and combinations thereof.

3. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, gallium, iridium, rhenium, copper, silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, and combinations thereof.

4. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein at least 80% by weight of the metal is constrained within the cages and/or channels of the microporous material.

5. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the additional zeolite is selected from the group consisting of MFI, MAZ, MEL, MTW, MEI, EMT, TON, MTT, FER, MRE, MFS, DDR, EWT, BET, USY, NES, EMM, MWW, MOR, MSE, and combinations thereof.

6. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises chabazite, wherein the metal comprises platinum, and wherein the additional zeolite comprises at least one of MFI, MEL, or MOR.

7. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of an alumina binder, a silica binder, and combinations thereof, and wherein the binder is present in an amount of about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % by weight of the catalyst.

8. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the metal is present in an amount between about 0.001 wt % and 5 wt % by weight of the catalyst.

9. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material is present in an amount of about 1 wt % to about 90 wt % by weight of the catalyst.

10. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the additional zeolite is present in an amount of about 1 wt % to about 90 wt % by weight of the catalyst.

11. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the additional zeolite includes at least one of ZSM-5, ZSM-11, and EMM-34.

12. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the metal containing microporous material is prepared by co-crystallization, exchange, impregnation, or mixing.

13. A method comprising:

introducing a feed comprising hydrogen, toluene, and C9+aromatic hydrocarbons into a reactor, wherein at least a portion of the C9+aromatic hydrocarbons comprise a C2+alkyl group; and

contacting the feed with the catalyst of claim 1 ,

wherein the catalyst is effective to dealkylate at least a portion of the C9+aromatic hydrocarbons comprising a C2+alkyl group to generate a corresponding olefin and C9+aromatic hydrocarbon and hydrogenate at least a portion of the corresponding olefin to form a corresponding alkane.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the microporous material is selected from the group consisting of AEI, AFT, AFX, CHA, CDO, DDR, EDI, ERI, IHW, ITE, ITQ- 55 , ITW, KFI, MER, MTF, MWF, LEV, LTA, PAU, PWY, RHO, SOD, SFW, UFI, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, gallium, iridium, rhenium, copper, silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the additional zeolite is selected from the group consisting of MFI, MAZ, MEL, MTW, MEI, EMT, TON, MTT, FER, MRE, MFS, DDR, EWT, BET, USY, NES, EMM, MWW, MOR, MSE, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the catalyst is further effective to transalkylate the toluene and the C9+aromatic hydrocarbon to form xylene.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the microporous material comprises chabazite, wherein the metal comprises platinum, and wherein the additional zeolite comprises at least one of MFI, MEL, or MOR.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

dealkylating at least a portion of the C9+aromatic hydrocarbon comprising C2+alkyl groups to form a corresponding C2+olefin and C9+aromatic hydrocarbon;

saturating at least a portion of the C2+olefin formed to produce a corresponding C2+alkane; and

transalkylating at least a portion of the C9+aromatic hydrocarbon with the toluene to form xylene.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the microporous material is selected from the group consisting of AEI, AFT, AFX, CHA, CDO, DDR, EDI, ERI, IHW, ITE, ITQ- 55 , ITW, KFI, MER, MTF, MWF, LEV, LTA, PAU, PWY, RHO, SOD, SFW, UFI, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, gallium, iridium, rhenium, copper, silver, gold, ruthenium, rhodium, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the additional zeolite is selected from the group consisting of MFI, MAZ, MEL, MTW, MEI, EMT, TON, MTT, FER, MRE, MFS, DDR, EWT, BET, USY, NES, EMM, MWW, MOR, MSE, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the microporous material comprises chabazite, wherein the metal comprises platinum, and wherein the additional zeolite comprises at least one of MFI, MEL, or MOR.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising separating at least a portion of the xylene to form a xylene rich stream.