Hydroforming with preliminary hydrodesulfurization

Claim 1

IN THE HYFROFORMING OF SULFUR-CONTAINING NAPHTHAS CARRIED OUT IN THE PRESENCE OF A PLATINUM GROUP METAL CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SUBJECTING THE NAPHTHA TO HYDRODESULFURIZATION TO REDUCE THE SULFUR CONTENT OF THE SAID NAPHATHA, THEREAFTER SUBJECTING THE THUS TREATED NAPHA TO STRIPPING WITH AN INERT GAS TO REMOVE VOLATILE SULFUR MATERIAL, THEREAFTER ADJUSTING TO SULFUR CONTENT OF THE THUS TREATED NAPHTHATO ABOUT 0.001 WT. PERCENT, ADJUSTING THE HALOGEN CONTENT OF THE THUS TREATED NNAPHTHA TO ABOUT 1 TO 10 PARTS PER MILLION PARTS OF NAPHTHA AND ADJUSTING THE WATER CONTENT OF THE SAID NAPHTHA TO FROM 5 TO 20 PARTS PER MILLION PARTS OF NAPHTHA THEREBY PROVIDING A FEED STOCK FOR HYDROFORMING WHICH MAY BE TREATED UNDER HYDROFORMING CONDITIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF A PLATINUM GROUP METAL CATALYST FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT CAUSING SERIOUS DEACTIVATION OF THE CATALYST SUBJECTING THE THUS ADJUSTED FEED STOCK TO HYDROFORMING IN A PLURALITY OF SEPERATE HYDROFORMING ZONES EACH CONTAINING A FIXED BED OF A PLATINUM GROUP METAL CATALYST CARRIED ON A SUPPORT COMPRISING ETA ALUMINA, SAID ZONES BEING EMPLOYED IN SERIES AND RECOVERRING A PRODUCT OF IMPROVED OCTANE RATING FROM THE HYDROFORMING STEP.