Hydrocarbon conversion catalyst

Abstract

Hydrocarbons are converted by contacting them at hydrocarbon conversion conditions with a bimetallic acidic catalytic composite comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, an indium component and a halogen component with a porous carrier material. The platinum group component and halogen component are present in the bimetallic catalyst in amounts respectively, calculated on an elemental basis, corresponding to about 0.01 to about 2 wt. % platinum group metal and about 0.1 to about 3.5 wt. % halogen. The indium component is present in amounts corresponding to an atomic ratio of indium to platinum group metal of about 0.1:1 to about 1:1. Moreover, the platinum group and indium components are uniformly dispersed throughout the porous carrier material in carefully controlled oxidation states such that substantially all of the platinum group component is present therein in the corresponding elemental metallic state while substantially all of the indium component is present therein in an oxidation state above that of the corresponding metal. A specific example of the type of hydrocarbon conversion process disclosed is a process for the catalytic reforming of a low-octane gasoline fraction wherein the gasoline fraction and hydrogen stream are contacted with the novel acidic bimetallic catalyst disclosed herein at reforming conditions. Also disclosed is a novel trimetallic catalyst comprising a combination of a Group IVA metallic component with the acidic bimetallic catalyst.