Hydrocarbon cracking process and catalyst

Claim 1

IN A CATALYTIC CRACKING PROCESS WHEREIN A PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCK IS CONTACTED WITH A COMPACT BED OF A SOLID ACTIVE CRACKING CATALYST UNDER HYDROCARBON CRACKING CONDITIONS TO PRODUCE HYDROCARBONS OF THE GASOLINE BOILING RANGE, SAID CATALYST BEING ONE WHOSE CRACKING ACTIVITY IS NORMALLY ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE PRESENCE OF HYDROCARBON DERIVATIVES OF NITROGEN IN THE FEEDSTOCK, AND SAID FEEDSTOCK CONTAINING HYDROCARBON DERIVATIVES OF NITROGEN IN AMOUNTS SUFFICIENT TO HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE CRACKING ACTIVITY OF SAID CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS IN INTIMATELY ADMIXING A MOLECULAR SIEVE ADSORBENT WITH SAID CATALYST PRIOR TO EFFECTING SAID CONTACTING, SAID MOLECULAR SIEVE ADSORBENT BEING A SYNTHETIC SOLID PARTIALLY DEHYDRATED ZEOLITIC METALLO ALUMINO SILICATE HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM PORES OF BETWEEN ABOUT 7 A. AND ABOUT 13 A. IN DIAMETER, AND THEREAFTER CONTACTING SAID FEED STOCK WITH THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF SAID ABSORBENT AND CRACKING CATALYST UNDER HYDROCARBON CRACKING CONDITIONS.