Hydrocarbon conversion using an iridium-gold catalyst

Claim 2

A HYDROCARBON CONVERSION PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A HYDROCARBON MATERIAL, UNDER CONVERSION CONDITIONS, WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING A REFRACTORY SUPPORT IN ASSOCIATION WITH GREATER THAN 0.1 WT.% IRIFIUM, BASED ON TOTAL CATALYST, AND 0.1 TO 1.0 WT.% OF GOLD, BASED ON TOTAL CATALYST, SAID IRIDIUM AND GOLD BEING PRESENT ON SAID REFRACTORY SUPPORT IN AN ATOMIC RATIO VARYING FROM 1:10 TO 10:1, THE SURFACE AREA OF SAID IRIDIUM AND GOLD ON SAID SUPPORT BEING AT LEAT 200 SQUARE METERS PER GRAM OF SAID IRIDIUM AND GOLD AS DETERMINED BY CARBON MONOXIDE CHEMISORPTION TECHNIQUES, SAID CATALYST CONTAINING LESS THAN ABOUT TWO ATOMS OF SULFUR PER ATOM OF IRIDIUM AND GOLD AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL CONSTITUENTS.

Claim 3

A process for reforming a naphtha feed stock containing aromatic, naphthenic and paraffinic constituents which comprises contacting said feed stock at a temperature varying from 650* to 1000*F. and at a pressure varying from 1 to 50 atmospheres in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst comprising a refractory support in association with greater than 0.1 wt. % iridium, based on total catalyst, and 0.1 to 1.0 wt. % of gold, based on total catalyst, said iridium and gold being present on said refractory support in an atomic ratio varying from 1:10 to 10:1, the surface area of said iridium and gold on said support being at least about 200 square meters per gram of said iridium and gold as determined by carbon monoxide chemisorption techniques, said catalyst containing from about 0.1 to 3.0 wt. % of a halogen moiety and less than about two atoms of sulfur per atom of iridium and additionaL catalyst metal and being substantially free of alkali and alkaline earth metal constituents.

Claim 4

A process for reforming a naphtha feed stock containing aromatic, naphthenic and paraffinic constituents which comprises contacting said feed stock at a temperature varying from 650* to 1000*F. and at a pressure varying from 1 to 50 atmospheres in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst comprising a refractory support in association with greater than 0.1 wt. % iridium, based on total catalyst, and 0.1 to 1.0 wt. % of gold, based on total catalyst, said iridium and gold being present on said refractory support in an atomic ratio varying from 1:10 to 10:1, the surface area of said iridium and gold on said support being at least about 200 square meters per gram of said iridium and gold as determined by carbon monoxide chemisorption techniques, said catalyst containing from about 0.1 to 3.0 wt. % of a halogen moiety and less than about two atoms of sulfur per atom of iridium and additionaL catalyst metal and being substantially free of alkali and alkaline earth metal constituents.