Oxidation of petroleum fractions

Claim 2

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING VALUABLE PRODUCTS FROM PETROLEUM WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING A PETROLEUM FRACTION CONTAINING AT LEAST 5 WEIGHT PERCENT OF DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING AND CONTAINING ALKYL SUBSTITUENTS ON NUCLEAR CARBON ATOMS, A MAJOR PROPORTION OF WHICH FRACTION BOILS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 480*F. TO 600*F., IN LIQUID PHASE WITH FREE-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 150*F. TO 300*F. IN THE PRESENCE OF A METALLIC OXIDATION CATALYST, THEREBY TO CONVERT SAID DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS TO DICYCLIC KETONES, SAID FRACTION HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY PREPARED BY HYDROGENATION OF A CRACKED PETROLEUM FRACTION TO CONVERT DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING TWO AROMATIC RINGS INTO DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING.

Claim 3

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING VALUABLE PRODUCTS FROM PETROLEUM WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING A PETROLEUM FRACTION CONTAINING AT LEAST 5 WEIGHT PERCENT OF DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS HAVING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING AND HAVING ALKYL SUBSTITUENTS ON NUCLEAR CARBON ATOMS, A MAJOR PROPORTION OF WHICH FRACTION BOILS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 480*F. TO 600*F., IN LIQUID PHASE WITH FREE-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 150*F. TO 300*F. IN THE PRESENCE OF A METALLIC OXIDATION CATALYST, THEREBY TO CONVERT SAID DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS TO DICYCLIC KETONES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REDUCING SAID DICYCLIC KETONES TO DICYCLIC HYDROXYL COMPOUNDS, SAID FRACTION HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY PREPARED BY HYDROGENATION OF A CRACKED PETROLEUM FRACTION TO CONVERT DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING TWO AROMATIC RINGS INTO DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING.

Claim 4

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING VALUABLE PRODUCTS FROM PETROLEUM WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING A PETROLEUM FRACTION CONTAINING AT LEAST 5 WEIGHT PERCENT OF DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS HAVING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING AND HAVING ALKYL SUBSTITUENTS ON NUCLEAR CARBON ATOMS, A MAJOR PROPORTION OF WHICH FRACTION BOILS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 480*F. TO 600*F., IN LIQUID PHASE WITH FREE-OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 150*F. TO 300*F. IN THE PRESENCE OF A METALLIC OXIDATION CATALYST, THEREBY TO CONVERT SAID DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS TO DICYCLIC KETONES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REDUCING SAID DICYCLIC KETONES TO DICYCLIC HYDROXYL COMPOUNDS, SAID FRACTION HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY PREPARED BY HYDROGENATION OF A CRACKED PETROLEUM FRACTION TO CONVERT DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING TWO AROMATIC RINGS INTO DICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING ONE AROMATIC RING AND ONE CYCLOALIPHATIC RING.