Process for the preparation of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A process for the preparation of an aromatic hydrocarbon mixture from a feed mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen wherein the molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the feed lies between 0.25 and 1.0 which comprises contacting said feed in a contacting zone at a temperature of 200°-500° C., a pressure of 1-150 bar and a space velocity of 50-5000 Nl gas/l catalyst/h with a mixture of two catalysts, a catalyst X containing zinc together with chromium and having the capability of catalyzing the conversion of an H 2 /CO mixture into acyclic oxygen-containing hydrocarbons and a catalyst Y being a crystalline gallium silicate, having the following properties: (a) thermally stable up to a temperature above 600° C., (b) an X-ray powder diffraction pattern showing, inter alia, the reflections given in Table A of the specification, (c) in the formula which gives the composition of the silicate, expressed in moles of the oxides, and in which, in addition to oxides of hydrogen, alkali metal and/or alkaline-earth metal and silicon, gallium oxide is present, the Ga 2 O 3 /SiO 2 molar ratio (m) is less than 0.1 to produce a contact product, and separating an aromatic hydrocarbon mixture from said contact product.