Patent ID: 7977523

Claim:
A process for preparing a catalyst, comprising: a) contacting an aluminosilicate with an aqueous Mg metal salt solution or an aqueous solution of an alkaline earth metal salt and a Mg metal salt, under acidic conditions, to obtain a metal salt treated aluminosilicate; and b) calcining said metal salt treated aluminosilicate, to obtain said catalyst which comprises MgO or a mixture of an alkaline earth metal oxide and MgO; wherein an amount of MgO is 5 to 15% by mass 10 to 20% by mass of aluminum oxide; and 70 to 90% by mass of silicon dioxide; wherein a mean pore diameter of the catalyst is from 5 to 20 nm; wherein a pH of the acidic conditions for the contacting of the aluminosilicate with the metal salt is from less than 6 to 3, and wherein, when the salt solution in a) has a pH which is greater than or equal to 6, the pH is adjusted by adding an acid.