Processes for aromatizing hydrocarbons include contacting the hydrocarbons with a catalyst composition comprising a metal oxide dispersed on a surface of a zeolite support, where contacting the hydrocarbons with the catalyst composition causes at least a portion of the hydrocarbons to undergo a chemical reaction to form aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst composition is prepared by a synthesis process that includes combining the zeolite support with a hydrocarbon solvent to form a zeolite mixture, where the hydrocarbon solvent pre-wets the pores of the zeolite support. The synthesis process further includes combining a polar solvent comprising a metal salt with the zeolite mixture to form an impregnated zeolite support. The synthesis process also includes drying the impregnated zeolite support and calcining the impregnated zeolite support to convert the metal salt to the metal oxide, thereby forming the catalyst composition.

The invention discloses a bifunctional additive for increasing low-carbon olefins and reducing slurry in cracking product, wherein the dry-basis components of said additive is as follows: 40˜55 wt % of phosphorus-containing MFI zeolite, 0˜10 wt % of large pore type Y and Beta zeolites, 3˜20 wt % of inorganic binder, 8˜22 wt % of inorganic matrix composed of alumina and amorphous silica-alumina and 15˜40 wt % of clay. The bifunctional additive is mainly used to facilitate production rate of cracked LPG and increase concentration of propylene in LPG and octane number of produced the gasoline, and at the same time reduce the yield of slurry in the cracking products. The invention also discloses its preparation method and application of said additive.

The invention discloses a bifunctional additive for increasing low-carbon olefins and reducing slurry in cracking product, wherein the dry-basis components of said additive is as follows: 40˜55 wt % of phosphorus-containing MFI zeolite, 0˜10 wt % of large pore type Y and Beta zeolites, 3˜20 wt % of inorganic binder, 8˜22 wt % of inorganic matrix composed of alumina and amorphous silica-alumina and 15˜40 wt % of clay. The bifunctional additive is mainly used to facilitate production rate of cracked LPG and increase concentration of propylene in LPG and octane number of produced the gasoline, and at the same time reduce the yield of slurry in the cracking products. The invention also discloses its preparation method and application of said additive.

An improved reforming process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process includes two reformers arranged in parallel flow configuration, with the first reformer being a conventional reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C.sub.8+ hydrocarbons to a reformate and the second reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C.sub.7− hydrocarbons to a reformate. In certain embodiments, the first reformer catalyst comprises a conventional alumina catalyst and the second reformer catalyst comprises a ZSM-5 catalyst.

An improved reforming process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process includes two reformers arranged in parallel flow configuration, with the first reformer being a conventional reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C.sub.8+ hydrocarbons to a reformate and the second reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C.sub.7− hydrocarbons to a reformate. In certain embodiments, the first reformer catalyst comprises a conventional alumina catalyst and the second reformer catalyst comprises a ZSM-5 catalyst.

Methods of preparing an acidic catalyst are disclosed that include heating a metal halide to produce a vapor phase metal halide, contacting an initial support material with the vapor phase metal halide in a reaction vessel causing a first chemical reaction and producing an intermediate acidic catalyst, contacting the intermediate acidic catalyst with HBr causing a second chemical reaction and producing an acidic catalyst product which is both more acidic than the intermediate acidic catalyst and more acidic than the initial support material.

Methods of preparing an acidic catalyst are disclosed that include heating a metal halide to produce a vapor phase metal halide, contacting an initial support material with the vapor phase metal halide in a reaction vessel causing a first chemical reaction and producing an intermediate acidic catalyst, contacting the intermediate acidic catalyst with HBr causing a second chemical reaction and producing an acidic catalyst product which is both more acidic than the intermediate acidic catalyst and more acidic than the initial support material.

Disclosed herein a method for converting (cannabidiol) CBD into a composition comprising Δ.sup.8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.8-THC) and Δ.sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.9-THC), in which the composition has a Δ.sup.8-THC:Δ.sup.9-THC ratio that is greater than 1.0:1.0. The method comprises contacting the CBD with a Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent under protic, aprotic, or neat reaction conditions comprising: (i) a reaction temperature that is greater than a threshold reaction temperature for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent and the solvent system; and (ii) a reaction time that is greater than a threshold reaction time for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent, the solvent system, and the reaction temperature.

Disclosed herein a method for converting (cannabidiol) CBD into a composition comprising Δ.sup.8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.8-THC) and Δ.sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.9-THC), in which the composition has a Δ.sup.8-THC:Δ.sup.9-THC ratio that is greater than 1.0:1.0. The method comprises contacting the CBD with a Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent under protic, aprotic, or neat reaction conditions comprising: (i) a reaction temperature that is greater than a threshold reaction temperature for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent and the solvent system; and (ii) a reaction time that is greater than a threshold reaction time for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent, the solvent system, and the reaction temperature.

Disclosed herein is a method for converting cannabidiol (CBD) into a composition comprising Δ.sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.9-THC) and Δ.sup.8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ.sup.8-THC) in which the composition has a Δ.sup.9-THC:Δ.sup.8-THC ratio of greater than 1.0:1.0. The method comprises contacting the CBD with a Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent under reaction conditions comprising: (i) a protic-solvent system; (ii) a reaction temperature that is less than a threshold reaction temperature for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent and the protic-solvent system; and (iii) a reaction time that is less than a threshold reaction time for the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent, the protic-solvent system, and the reaction temperature.