Reforming light hydrocarbons with a platinum alumina catalyst

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF REFORMING LIGHT HYDROCARBON STOCKS TO PRODUCE GASOLINE, BENZENE AND OTHER SELECTED AROMATICS, WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING THE HYDROCARBON STOCK UNDER REFORMING CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE AND HYDROGEN PARTIAL PRESSURE WITH A REFORMING CATALYST ESSENTIALLY COMPRISING CALCINED ALUMINA AND A PLATINUM METAL HAVING REFORMING ACTIVITY WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY LARGE PORE, HIGH AREA BASE STRUCTURE ESSENTIALLY COMPOSED OF GAMMA-ALUMINA MODIFICATIONS RESULTING FROM THE DRYING AND CALCINATION OF A MIXTURE OF PRECURSOR HYDROUS ALUMINA PHASES CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 65 TO ABOUT 95% OF TRIHYDRATE, THE TRIHYDRATE ALUMINA CONTAINING IN A MAJOR PROPORTION THE RANDOMITE FORM OF ALUMINA TRIHYDRATE CHARACTERIZED BY A LINE OF 4.79 A. AS DETERMINED BY X-RAY DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS, SAID CATALYST CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.1% TO ABOUT 1.5% BY WEIGHT OF A PLATINUM METAL, SAID PLATINUM METAL BEING PRESENT IN SUFFICIENTLY FINELY DIVIDED FORM AS TO EXHIBIT BY X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES, THE SUBSTANTIAL ABSENCE OF CRYSTALLITES AND CRYSTALS OF SIZE LARGER THAN ABOUT 50 ANGOTROM UNITS.