Catalytic dealkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING BENZENE COMPRISING CONTACTING A CHARGE STOCK CONTAINING TOLUENE IN THE PRESENCE OF ADDED HYDROGEN WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING AN ALUMINACEOUS CARRIER OF ATTENUATED CRACKING ACTIVITY AND CONTAINING LESS THAN 15% (DETERMINED AS MOO3) BY WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST OF MOLYBDENUM OXIDE, SAID CATALYST BEING ONE PREPARED BY IMPREGNATING AN ACTIVATED ALUMINA WITH MAGNESIA AND CALCINING THE IMPREGNATED ALUMINA AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BELOW THAT EFFECTING TRANSFORMATION TO "BETA" FORM FOLLOWED BY INCORPORATION OF THE MOLYBDENUM OXIDE; SAID CONTACTING BEING CARRIED OUT AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 900 TO 1000* F., A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 100 TO 800 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, A HYDROGEN TO TOLUENE RATIO OF ABOUT 4 MOLES HYDROGEN PER MOLE TOLUENE AND A SPACE RATE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO 2 LIQUID VOLUMES OF TOLUENE PER HOUR PER VOLUME OF CATALYST.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING BENZENE COMPRISING CONTACTING A CHARGE STOCK CONTAINING TOLUENE IN THE PRESENCE OF ADDED HYDROGEN WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING AN ALUMINACEOUS CARRIER OF ATTENUATED CRACKING ACTIVITY AND CONTAINING LESS THAN 15% (DETERMINED AS MOO3) BY WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST OF MOLYBDENUM OXIDE, SAID CATALYST BEING ONE PREPARED BY IMPREGNATING AN ACTIVATED ALUMINA WITH MAGNESIA AND CALCINING THE IMPREGNATED ALUMINA AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BELOW THAT EFFECTING TRANSFORMATION TO "BETA" FORM FOLLOWED BY INCORPORATION OF THE MOLYBDENUM OXIDE; SAID CONTACTING BEING CARRIED OUT AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 900 TO 1000* F., A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 100 TO 800 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, A HYDROGEN TO TOLUENE RATIO OF ABOUT 4 MOLES HYDROGEN PER MOLE TOLUENE AND A SPACE RATE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO 2 LIQUID VOLUMES OF TOLUENE PER HOUR PER VOLUME OF CATALYST.