Patent ID: 8518239

Claim:
A hydrocracking process comprising the step of contacting a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock under hydrocracking conditions with a catalyst comprising a magnesium aluminosilicate clay wherein said magnesium aluminosilicate clay is synthesized according to a method comprising the following steps: a. combining (1) a silicon component, (2) an aluminum component, and (3) a magnesium component, under aqueous conditions at a first reaction temperature and at ambient pressure, to form a first reaction mixture, wherein the pH of said first reaction mixture is acidic; b) adding an alkali base to the first reaction mixture to form a second reaction mixture having a pH greater than the pH of the first reaction mixture; and c) reacting the second reaction mixture at a second reaction temperature and for a time sufficient to form a product comprising a magnesium aluminosilicate clay; and with the hydrocracking conditions comprising a reaction temperature in the range from 200° C. to 550° C., a reaction pressure in the range from 500 to 5000 psig, an LHSV in the range from 0.1 to 15 hr −1 (v/v), and a hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio in the range from 20 to 2000 Nm 3 of hydrogen per m 3 of feed.