Patent GB-1318528-A (GB)
Title: Catalysts
IPC: B60P1/64
Filed: 1970-04-08
Abstract: 1318528 Catalysts and preparation thereof UNILEVER Ltd 8 April 1970 [9 April 1969] 16632/70 Heading BIE [Also in Divisions Cl C2 and C5] Catalyst comprising a metallic catalytic agent supported on porous carrier material is prepared by a process which comprises impregnating porous carrier material with such an amount of an aqueous solution containing (a) a metal salt and (b) an organic compound which, in aqueous solution, provides hydroxyl ion that separate solid and liquid phases cannot be detected and thereafter allowing sufficient hydroxyl ions to develop to precipitate all of the metal of the metal salt on the carrier material while ensuring by the use of appropriate conditions of temperature and pressure that the water vapour pressure in the environment of the impregnated carrier material is such that not even partial desiccation thereof occurs. The source of hydroxyl ions may be a compound which decomposes in aqueous solution when heated, the impregnated carrier material being heated to provide the hydroxyl ions. The material thus prepared may be subjected, as desired and/or required, to one or more stress involving washing, drying, calcining and reducing by means of a reducing agent, for example hydrogen. Exemplified carrier materials are silica, alumina, magnesia, titania, magnesium hydroxycarbonate, magnesium sulphate, barium sulphate, zinc carbonate, carbon black; charcoal, active coal, kaolin, asbestos, porcelain, pumice, infusional earth and diatomaceous earths, for example kieselguhr; the carrier material may have a surface area of from 4 to 1000 m<SP>2</SP>/g. Exemplified metals which may constitute or  form part of the metallic catalytic agent are copper, gold, beryllium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, scandium, aluminium, gallium, thallium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, germanium, tin, lead, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, rhenium, iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, thorium, uranium and rare earth metals, for example cerium, neodymium, samarium, erbium and ytterbium; the metallic catalytic agent may comprise more than one such metal. The source of hydroxyl ions may be a compound having the formula wherein R<SP>1</SP> and R<SP>2</SP> either each independently represents an hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or, when taken together, represent a -(CH 2 ) 4 -, -(CH 2 ) 5 - or -(CH 2 ) 2 -O-(CH 2 ) 2 - group; R<SP>3</SP> represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an -NR<SP>1</SP>R<SP>2</SP> group; and X represents an oxygen atom or an imide (=NH) group. Exemplified sources of hydroxyl ions are urea, formamide, dimethylformamide, acetamide, dimethylacetamide and hexamethylenetetramine. The Specification contains numerous examples relating to the preparation, and subsequent use, of catalysts; according to Example 35, catalyst comprising vanadium pentoxide and potassium sulphate supported on silica is prepared by impregnating silica with an aqueous solution containing vanadyl sulphate and urea, heating the impregnated silica at 100C in a flow of nitrogen and steam, drying the resulting product, impregnating the dried product with an aqueous solution of potassium sulphate and drying and calcining the impregnated product. Reference is made to Specifications 1,220,105 and 1,318,527.