Preparation of improved alumina supported catalyst

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PREPARING ALUMINA ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE AS A CATALYST SUPPORT WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A SOLUTION OF AN ALUMINIUM ALCOHOLATE IN A LIQUID HYDROCARBON SOLVENT, SLOWLY ADDING SAID SOLUTION OF ALUMINIUM ALCOHOLATE TO AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AMMONIA CONTAINING ABOUT 1.8 TO 3.4 WT. PERCENT NH3 WHILE VIGOROULSY STIRRING SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION, THE AMOUNT OF AQUEOUS AMMONIA UTILIZED BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO 10 VOLUMES PER VOLUME OF ALCOHOLATE AND THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID AQUEOUS AMMONIA BEING IN THE RANGE 50 TO 200*F., AGING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA SLURRY IN THE RESULTANT AQUEOUS LAYER AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 80*F. FOR PERIODS OF FROM ONE HOUR TO FIVE DAYS TO CONVERT THE HYDROUS ALLUMINA TO BETA ALUMINA TRIHYDRATE, SAID AGING TIME BEING NEAR ONE HOUR WHEN HYDROLYSIS IS EFFECTED AT TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER PART OF THE TEMPERATURE RANGE AND THE AGING TIME BEING ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE DAYS WHEN HYDROLYSIS IS EFFECTED AT TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER PART OF SAID RANGE, SEPARATING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA FROM THE EXCESS WATER AND DRYING TO REMOVE THE AMMONIA AND AQUEOUS MEDIUM, AND THEREAFTER HEATING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 400-1400*F. TO DEHYDRATE IT TO AN ADSORPTIVE ALUMINA WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY IN THE ETA PHASE AND WHICH CONTAINS MORE THAN 40% OF ITS TOTAL PORE VOLUME IN MACROPORES OR PORES WITH DIAMETERS BETWEEN 0.05 AND 1.0 MICRONS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PREPARING ALUMINA ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE AS A CATALYST SUPPORT WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A SOLUTION OF AN ALUMINIUM ALCOHOLATE IN A LIQUID HYDROCARBON SOLVENT, SLOWLY ADDING SAID SOLUTION OF ALUMINIUM ALCOHOLATE TO AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AMMONIA CONTAINING ABOUT 1.8 TO 3.4 WT. PERCENT NH3 WHILE VIGOROULSY STIRRING SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION, THE AMOUNT OF AQUEOUS AMMONIA UTILIZED BEING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1 TO 10 VOLUMES PER VOLUME OF ALCOHOLATE AND THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID AQUEOUS AMMONIA BEING IN THE RANGE 50 TO 200*F., AGING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA SLURRY IN THE RESULTANT AQUEOUS LAYER AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 80*F. FOR PERIODS OF FROM ONE HOUR TO FIVE DAYS TO CONVERT THE HYDROUS ALLUMINA TO BETA ALUMINA TRIHYDRATE, SAID AGING TIME BEING NEAR ONE HOUR WHEN HYDROLYSIS IS EFFECTED AT TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER PART OF THE TEMPERATURE RANGE AND THE AGING TIME BEING ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE DAYS WHEN HYDROLYSIS IS EFFECTED AT TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER PART OF SAID RANGE, SEPARATING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA FROM THE EXCESS WATER AND DRYING TO REMOVE THE AMMONIA AND AQUEOUS MEDIUM, AND THEREAFTER HEATING THE HYDROUS ALUMINA TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 400-1400*F. TO DEHYDRATE IT TO AN ADSORPTIVE ALUMINA WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY IN THE ETA PHASE AND WHICH CONTAINS MORE THAN 40% OF ITS TOTAL PORE VOLUME IN MACROPORES OR PORES WITH DIAMETERS BETWEEN 0.05 AND 1.0 MICRONS.