A molecular sieve has a silica/alumina molar ratio of 100-300, and has a mesopore structure. One closed hysteresis loop appears in the range of P/P.sub.0=0.4-0.99 in the low temperature nitrogen gas adsorption-desorption curve, and the starting location of the closed hysteresis loop is in the range of P/P.sub.0=0.4-0.7. The catalyst formed from the molecular sieve as a solid acid not only has a good capacity of isomerization to reduce the freezing point, but also can produce a high yield of the product with a lower pour point. The process for preparing the catalyst involves steps including crystallization, filtration, calcination, and hydrothermal treatment.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of a combined feed of oxygenates (such as methanol or dimethyl ether) and olefins to a high octane naphtha boiling range product with a reduced or minimized aromatics content. The oxygenate conversion can be performed under conditions that reduce or minimize hydrogen transfer. Optionally, a catalyst that further facilitates formation of branched paraffins can be used, such as a catalyst that has some type of 12-member ring site available on the catalyst surface.

A process for reducing haze in a heavy base oil includes: obtaining a first effluent oil by contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a first catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-12 family; and obtaining a second effluent oil by contacting the first effluent oil with a second catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-48 family. A hydroisomerization catalyst system having reduced haze includes: a first catalytic region having a first catalyst disposed therein, the first catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-12 family; and a second catalytic region having a second catalyst disposed therein, the second catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-48 family. The first catalytic region is disposed upstream of the second catalytic region.

An apparatus and method for producing hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons and lower olefins including propylene from CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 through CO and H.sub.2 with high activity and high selectivity. The apparatus is provided with: a synthetic gas production unit to which a gas containing CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 is supplied from a first supply unit, and which generates a synthetic gas containing CO and H.sub.2 while heating a first catalyst structure; a production unit to which the synthetic gas is supplied and which generates hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons having 6-10 carbon atoms and lower olefins including propylene while heating a second catalyst structure; and a detection unit which detects propylene and the aromatic hydrocarbons discharged from the production unit, in which the first catalyst structure includes first supports having a porous structure and a first metal fine particle in the first supports, the first supports have a first channels, the first metal fine particle is present in the first channels, the second catalyst structure includes second supports having a porous structure and a second metal fine particle in the second supports, the second supports have a second channels, and a portion of the second channels have an average inner diameter of 0.95 nm or less.

In a process for producing a methyl-substituted biphenyl compound, at least one methyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound of the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein each of m and n is independently 1, 2, or 3, is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted bicyclohexane compound, and the methyl-substituted bicyclohexane compound is then contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted biphenyl compound.

To provide a structured catalyst for catalytic cracking or hydrodesulfurization that suppresses decline in catalytic activity, achieves efficient catalytic cracking, and allows simple and stable obtaining of a substance to be modified. The structured catalyst for catalytic cracking or hydrodesulfurization (1) includes a support (10) of a porous structure composed of a zeolite-type compound and at least one type of metal oxide nanoparticles (20) present in the support (10), in which the support (10) has channels (11) that connect with each other, the metal oxide nanoparticles (20) are present at least in the channels (11) of the support (10), and the metal oxide nanoparticles (20) are composed of a material containing any one or two more of the oxides of Fe, Al, Zn, Zr, Cu, Co, Ni, Ce, Nb, Ti, Mo, V, Cr, Pd, and Ru.

Methods are provided for activation of catalysts comprising low amounts of a hydrogenation metal, such as low amounts of a Group 8-10 noble metal. The amount of hydrogenation metal on the catalyst can correspond to 0.5 wt % or less (with respect to the weight of the catalyst), or 0.1 wt % or less, or 0.05 wt % or less. Prior to loading a catalyst into a reactor, the corresponding catalyst precursor can be first activated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 1.0 vppm of CO or less. The thus first-activated catalyst can be transferred to a reactor with optional exposure to oxygen during the transfer, where it can be further activated using a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 3.0 vppm of CO or higher, to yield a twice-activated catalyst with high performance. The catalyst can be advantageously a transalkylation catalyst or an isomerization catalyst useful for converting aromatic hydrocarbons.

A method of producing a hierarchical zeolite composite catalyst is provided. The method includes dissolving, in an alkaline solution and in the presence of a surfactant, a catalyst precursor comprising mesoporous zeolite to yield a dissolved zeolite solution, where the mesoporous zeolite comprises large pore ZSM-12 and medium pore ZSM-5. The method also includes condensing the dissolved zeolite solution to yield a solid zeolite composite from the dissolved zeolite solution and heating the solid zeolite composite to remove the surfactant. The method further includes impregnating the solid zeolite composite with one or more active metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhenium, rhodium, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten, chromium, ruthenium, gold, and combinations thereof to yield impregnated solid zeolite composite and calcining the impregnated solid zeolite composite to produce the hierarchical zeolite composite catalyst. The hierarchical zeolite composite catalyst has a mesostructure comprising at least one disordered mesophase and at least one ordered mesophase.

The invention concerns a catalyst comprising at least one zeolite with structure type MTW, a matrix, at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, said catalyst having a mesopore volume increased by at least 10% compared with its initial mesopore volume, which is generally in the range 0.55 to 0.75 mL/g, at the end of a treatment with steam at a partial pressure in the range 0.01 to 0.07 MPa and at a temperature in the range 300 C. to 400 C. for at least 0.5 hour. The invention concerns the process for the preparation of said catalyst as well as an isomerization process employing said catalyst.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of a combined feed of oxygenates (such as methanol or dimethyl ether) and olefins to a high octane naphtha boiling range product with a reduced or minimized aromatics content. The oxygenate conversion can be performed under conditions that reduce or minimize hydrogen transfer. Optionally, a catalyst that further facilitates formation of branched paraffins can be used, such as a catalyst that has some type of 12-member ring site available on the catalyst surface.