A process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises (a) contacting one or more lower alkanes with a dehydroaromatization aromatic catalyst which is comprised of 0.005 to 0.1% wt platinum, not more than 0.2% wt of an amount of an attenuating metal wherein the amount of platinum is not more than about 0.02% wt more than the amount of the attenuating metal, from about 10 to about 99.9% wt of an aluminosilicate, and a binder, and (b) separating methane, hydrogen, and C2-5 hydrocarbons from the reaction products of step (a) to produce aromatic reaction products including benzene.