Hydrocarbon-soluble, bimetallic catalyst precursors and methods for making same

Abstract

Bimetallic catalyst precursors are manufactured from a plurality of molybdenum atoms and a plurality of atoms of a secondary transition metal (e.g., one or more of cobalt, iron, or nickel). The molybdenum atoms and the secondary transition metal atoms are each bonded with a plurality of organic anions (e.g., 2-ethyl hexanoate) to form a mixture of an oil-soluble molybdenum salt and an oil-soluble secondary transition metal salt. The molybdenum and/or the secondary transition metals are preferably reacted with the organic agent in the presence of a strong reducing agent such as hydrogen. To obtain this mixture of metal salts, an organic agent is reacted with the molybdenum at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 350° C. The secondary transition metal is reacted with the organic agent at a different temperature, preferably between 50° C. and 200° C. The metal salts are capable of forming a hydroprocessing metal sulfide catalyst in heavy oil feedstocks.