Isomerization of alkylene oxide

Claim 1

IN THE IOSMERIZATION OF AN ALKYLENE OXIDE CONTAINING 3 TO 5 CCARBON ATOMS TO THE CORRESPONDING ALCOHOL, WHEREIN SAID OXIDE IS CONTACTED IN THE GASEOUS STATE WITH A LEACHED BASIC LIGHTIUM PHOSPHATE CCATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 250*C. TO 350*C., SAID CATALYST INITIALLY HAVINA AN ACTIVITY EFFECTING MORE THAN 40% CONVERSION IN A SINGLE PASS AND GRADUALLY DECREASING IN EFFECTIVENESS DURING USE, AND WHEREIN THE SAID ISOMERIZATION IS INTERRUPTED FOR CATALYST ACTIVATION, THE PROCESS OF RESTORING SUBSTANTIALLY THE INITIAL CATALYST ACTIVITY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CONTACTING THE CATALYST AFTER USE IN SAID ISOMERIZATION WITH A LIQUID HYDROCARBON, CONTAINING AT LEAST SIX CARBON ATOMS, SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AROMATIC, PARAFFINIC AND SATURATED CYCLIC HYDROCARBONS, AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 200*C. TO ABOUT 25*C. BELOW THE CRITICAL TEMPERATURE OF SAID HYDROCARBON, AND AT A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID HYDROCARBON IN THE LIQUID PHASE, SAID LIQUID HYDROCARBON BEING VOLATILE AT THE SAID TEMPERATURE, AND THEN REMOVING THE SAID HYDROCARBON FROM THE ACTIVATED CATALYST.