Patent ID: 7038097

Claim:
A selective hydrogenation method comprising: contacting in the presence of hydrogen a feedstock comprising at least one unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene, methyl acetylene, propadiene, 1,2-butadiene, 1,3-butadiene, dimethyl acetylene, ethyl acetylene and mixtures thereof with a low oligomers selectivity first hydrogenation catalyst in a first reaction zone to produce a first product stream; and contacting the first product stream in a second reaction zone having an inlet and an outlet, where the second reaction zone is at least partially filled with a second hydrogenation catalyst beginning from the outlet forward to produce a second product stream, where the second hydrogenation catalyst includes a metal selected from the group consisting of palladium, nickel and mixtures thereof wherein, the low oligomers selectivity first hydrogenation catalyst comprises a first constituent of at least one metal or metal-based component selected from the group consisting of nickel and platinum; and a second constituent of at least one metal or metal-based component selected from the elements consisting of Groups 1–10 of the Periodic Table of Elements (new IUPAC notation); and a third constituent of at least one metal or metal-based component selected from the elements of Groups 11–12 of the Periodic Table of Elements (new IUPAC notation); and a fourth constituent of at least one support and/or binder selected from the group consisting of amorphous inorganic oxides, crystalline inorganic oxides, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, and combinations thereof.