NOVELTY - Process comprises reacting at least gaseous alkane and a halogen to produce at least a halogenation product stream containing e.g. alkyl halide, reacting at least a portion of the alkyl halide in the presence of a catalyst to produce at least a synthesis product stream and separating the synthesis product stream into at least a first stream comprising greater than or equal to 5C-hydrocarbons, a second stream comprising unreacted methyl halide, and a third stream comprising hydrogen halide and 1-4C-hydrocarbons.    USE - The process is useful for converting lower molecular weight alkane to higher molecular weight hydrocarbon (claimed) and recovering residual halogenated hydrocarbon (e.g. methyl bromide) from higher molecular weight hydrocarbon product, where the higher molecular weight hydrocarbon is useful: as an intermediate product or as feedstock for further processing such as an aromatic feed to a process producing aromatic polymers such as polystyrene or related polymers; as a product including liquid petroleum gas, motor gasoline fuel and fuel blending stock; and for producing gasoline grade fuel, diesel grade fuel and fuel additive.    ADVANTAGE - The process: safely recovers halogenated hydrocarbon in an economical manner; and is capable of recovering unconverted methyl bromide to recycle, which minimizes bromine loss from methyl bromide.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Process comprises reacting at least gaseous alkane and a halogen to produce at least a halogenation product stream, where the halogenation product stream comprises alkyl halide, hydrogen halide and unreacted alkane, reacting at least a portion of the alkyl halide from the halogenation product stream in the presence of a catalyst to produce at least a synthesis product stream, where the synthesis product stream comprises unreacted methyl halide, higher molecular weight hydrocarbon and hydrogen halide, and separating the synthesis product stream into at least a first stream comprising greater than or equal to 5C-hydrocarbons, a second stream comprising unreacted methyl halide, and a third stream comprising hydrogen halide and 1-4C-hydrocarbons. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a process-I comprising reacting a gaseous alkane and a bromine in a bromination reactor (5) to produce at least a bromination product stream (50), where the bromination product stream comprises alkyl bromide, hydrogen bromide and unreacted alkane, (b1) separating the bromination product stream into a gaseous stream (35) and a liquid alkyl bromide stream, where the gaseous stream comprises hydrogen bromide and unreacted alkane, and the liquid alkyl bromide stream comprises alkyl bromide, separating the liquid alkyl bromide stream into at least a monobromide stream and a polybromide stream, where the monobromide stream comprises monobrominated alkane, and the polybromide stream comprises polybrominated alkane, reacting at least a portion of the monobrominated alkane from the monobromide stream in a synthesis reactor (10) in the presence of a catalyst to produce a synthesis product stream, where the synthesis product stream comprises unreacted methyl bromide, higher molecular weight hydrocarbon and hydrogen bromide, and separating the synthesis product stream into the first stream, second stream and the third stream; and    (2) a system comprising a halogenation reactor configured for the reaction of the gaseous alkane and halogen to produce the halogenation product stream, a synthesis reactor in fluid communication with the halogenation reactor configured for the reaction of the alkyl halide from the halogenation product stream in the presence of the catalyst to produce the synthesis product stream, and a dehalogenation system in fluid communication with the synthesis reactor configured for the separation of the synthesis product stream into the first stream, second stream and third stream.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view of the process for converting lower molecular weight alkane to higher molecular weight hydrocarbon.    Bromination reactor (5)    Synthesis reactor (10)    Gas stream (35)    Bromine stream (40)    Bromination product stream. (50)