Patent ID: 7273828

Claim:
A process for preparing a transalkylation catalyst comprising contacting the catalyst comprising a rhenium component, an optional binder, and a solid-acid component with a reducing agent under substantially dry reducing conditions effective for decreasing yields of methane under transalkylation conditions, wherein the reducing conditions include a temperature greater than about 350° C. to form a catalyst consisting essentially of a rhenium component, an optional binder, and a solid-acid component wherein the solid-acid component is selected from the group consisting of: (A) mordenite having a SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratio from about 20 to about 40, mazzite, ZSM-12, EU-1, SAPO-5, mixtures thereof, (B) ZSM-11 in combination with at least one of mordenite having a SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratio from about 20 to about 40, mazzite, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, EU-1, MAPO-36, MAPSO-31, SAPO-5, SAPO-11, or SAPO-41 and (C) MFI topology zeolite in combination with at least one of mordenite having a SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratio from about 20 to about 40, mazzite, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, EU-1, MAPO-36, MAPSO-31, SAPO-5, SAPO-11, or SAPO-41.