Patent ID: 7326819

Claim:
A process for the isomerization of a paraffinic feedstock to obtain a product having an increased isoparaffin content comprising contacting the paraffinic feedstock in an isomerization zone maintained at isomerization conditions comprising a temperature of from 40 to 250° C., pressure of from 100 kPa to 10 MPa and liquid hourly space velocity of from 0.2 to 25 hr −1 with a solid acid isomerization catalyst, comprising a sulfated support comprising on oxide or hydroxide of elements of Group IVB (IUPAC4) of the Periodic Table, a first component selected from the group consisting of at least one lanthanide-series element, mixtures thereof, and yttrium, and a second component selected from the group consisting of platinum-group metals and mixtures thereof, wherein the atomic ratio of the first component to the second component is at least about 2, and recovering an isoparaffin-enriched product.