Process for preparing a ruthenium catalyst

Claim 1

A METHOD OF FORMING A RUTHENIUM CONTAINING CATALYST SYSTEM IN WHICH THE ACTIVITY OF THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL OF THE SYSTEM IS NOT DESTROYED OR SEVERELY REDUCED WHEN THE SYSTEM IS EXPOSED TO OXIDIZING CONDITIONS OF EITHER A PROLONGED OR A SPORADIC NATURE, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: REACTING RUTHENIUM WITH A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALINE-EARTH MATERIALS, RARE EARTH MATERIALS OR MIXED RARE EARTH MATERIALS TO FORM A RUTHENATE COMPOUND; FORMING SAID RUTHENATE COMPOUND INTO A FINELY DIVIDED POWDER; FORMING A SLURRY OF SAID FINELY DIVIDED POWDER AND A GAMMA ALUMINA CONTAINING SUBSTANCE; DEPOSITING SAID SLURRY ON A SUITABLE CATALYTIC SUPPORT; DRYING SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID SLURRY THEREON; AND CALCINING SAID DRY SUPPORT TO SET SAID MATERIALS OF SAID SLURRY REMAINING ON SAID SUPPORT AFTER SAID DRYING STEP THEREBY TO PRODUCE SAID CATALYST SYSTEM.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF FORMING A RUTHENIUM CONTAINING CATALYST SYSTEM IN WHICH THE ACTIVITY OF THE CATALYTIC MATERIAL OF THE SYSTEM IS NOT DESTROYED OR SEVERELY REDUCED WHEN THE SYSTEM IS EXPOSED TO OXIDIZING CONDITIONS OF EITHER A PROLONGED OR A SPORADIC NATURE, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: REACTING RUTHENIUM WITH A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALINE-EARTH MATERIALS, RARE EARTH MATERIALS OR MIXED RARE EARTH MATERIALS TO FORM A RUTHENATE COMPOUND; FORMING SAID RUTHENATE COMPOUND INTO A FINELY DIVIDED POWDER; FORMING A SLURRY OF SAID FINELY DIVIDED POWDER AND A GAMMA ALUMINA CONTAINING SUBSTANCE; DEPOSITING SAID SLURRY ON A SUITABLE CATALYTIC SUPPORT; DRYING SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID SLURRY THEREON; AND CALCINING SAID DRY SUPPORT TO SET SAID MATERIALS OF SAID SLURRY REMAINING ON SAID SUPPORT AFTER SAID DRYING STEP THEREBY TO PRODUCE SAID CATALYST SYSTEM.

Claim 5

A method of forming a ruthenium containing catalyst system in which the catalytic activity of the ruthenium is neither destroyed nor severely reduced when the system is exposed to oxidizing conditions, which method comprises the steps of: reacting finely divided ruthenium with a compound selected from the group consisting of alkaline-earth oxides, rare earth oxides or mixed rare earth oxides to form a ruthenate compound; grinding said ruthenate compound to form a finely divided powder; forming a slurry of said finely divided powder with 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a gamma alumina containing substance; depositing said slurry on a suitable catalytic support until the ruthenium content of said ruthenate is present in a concentration of from 100 ppm to 20,000 ppm; drying said support with said slurry thereon at a moderate temperature; calcining said support at a temperature in the range of 300*C to 800*C for a period of 2 to 20 hours to set said materials of said slurry remaining on said support after said drying step thereby to produce said catalyst system.

Claim 6

A method of forming a ruthenium containing catalyst system in which the catalytic activity of the ruthenium is neither destroyed nor severely reduced when the system is exposed to oxidizing conditions, which method comprises the steps of: reacting finely divided ruthenium with a compound selected from the group consisting of alkaline-earth oxides, rare earth oxides or mixed rare earth oxides to form a ruthenate compound; grinding said ruthenate compound to form a finely divided powder; forming a slurry of said finely divided powder with 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a gamma alumina containing substance; depositing said slurry on a suitable catalytic support until the ruthenium content of said ruthenate is present in a concentration of from 100 ppm to 20,000 ppm; drying said support with said slurry thereon at a moderate temperature; calcining said support at a temperature in the range of 300*C to 800*C for a period of 2 to 20 hours to set said materials of said slurry remaining on said support after said drying step thereby to produce said catalyst system.