Sub-Product

Linear alkylbenzenes are a family of organic compounds with the formula C₆H₅-C_nH_(2n+1). Typically, n lies between 10 and 16, although generally supplied as a tighter cut, such as C₁₂-C₁₅, C₁₂-C₁₃ and C₁₀-C₁₃, for detergent use.

Linear alkylbenzenes are produced by 3 methods (technologies):

1. Chlorination and monochloroparaffin method (early 1960s)

   1. Linear paraffins are chlorinated to form monochloroparaffin.
   2. An aluminum chloride catalyst is then used to alkylate benzene with monochloroparaffin.
       
2. Chlorination and dechlorination to form olefins
   1. Linear paraffins are first chlorinated.
   2. They are then dechlorinated, forming olefins.
   3. Hydrochloric acid is used as a catalyst for the alkylation of benzene with the linear olefins.

3. Dehydrogenation and Olefin Production

   1. Linear paraffins undergo dehydrogenation to produce olefins.
   2. These olefins react with benzene in the presence of an HF acid catalyst to produce LAB.
   3. Unreacted paraffins are separated by distillation and returned to the beginning of the process.

Source: Wikipedia, Linear alkylbenzene