Low surface area alpha alumina catalyst support for the selective hydrogenation of hydrocarbons

Claim 2

A CATALYST THAT UPON REDUCTION IS SUITABLE FOR THE SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION OF ACETYLENIC COMPOUNDS IN THE PRESENCE OF OLEFINS AND EXHIBITING LOW POLYMER-FORMING PROPERTIES, WHICH COMPRISES 0.1% TO 2% COO, 0.1% TO 7% NIO AND 1.5% TO 5% MOO3 SUPPORTED ON A CARRIER COMPRISING A MAJOR PROPORTION OF ALPHA ALUMIMNA, SAID CARRIER HAVING A SURFACE AREA NOT GREATER THAN TEN SQUARE METERS PER GRAM, WHEREIN THE PERCENTAGES ARE CALCULATED ON THE FINISHED CATALYST WEIGHT.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF SELECTIVELY HYDROGENATING ACETYLENIC COMPOUNDS IN A GAS CONTAINING THE SAME AND CONTAINING OLEFINS AS A MAJOR PART OF THE UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID GAS ADMIXED WITH HYDROGEN IN EXCESS OF THE STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNT REQUIRED TO REDUCED SAID ACETYLENIC COMPOUNDS TO OLEFINS WITH A CATALYST AS DEFINED IN CLAIM 1 AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 25/* TO 600*F. AND AT A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF 50 TO 400 P.S.I.G. FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO HYDROGENATE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID ACETYLENIC COMPOUNDS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING SAID OLEFINS.