Methods of inhibiting corrosion in a benzene distillation or dryer unit are provided wherein alkenyl succinic acids or anhydrides (ASA) are brought into contact with metal surfaces thereby protecting the metal from an acidic corrosive medium flowing through the overhead. The benzene distillation column or drying tower may be utilized to purify benzene for subsequent feed of the purified benzene to an alkylation process such as in the alkylation of benzene by ethene to form ethylbenzene utilizing a zeolite alkylation catalyst.