Patent ID: 8383543

Claim:
A catalyst precursor, upon sulfidation, forms a bulk multi-metallic catalyst for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feed under hydroprocessing conditions, the catalyst precursor is formed by reacting to form a precipitate: at least two Group VIB metal compounds; at least a promoter metal compound; at least a ligating agent L; optionally at least a diluent, the promoter metal compound is nickel and the at least two Group VIB metal compounds are molybdenum and tungsten; wherein the precipitate is formed without addition of any sulfur compounds to the reaction; wherein the catalyst precursor is a hydroxide; and wherein steps before sulfiding the catalyst precursor to form the bulk multi-metallic catalyst are carried out at a temperature of 200° C. or less for the catalyst precursor to remain a hydroxide before sulfidation to form the bulk multi-metallic precursor; and wherein the catalyst precursor is characterized as having a poorly crystalline structure with disordered stacking layers with a type IV adsorption-desorption isotherms of nitrogen, with a hysteresis starting point value P/P o of about 0.35.