Patent ID: 8491782

Claim:
A process for cracking a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock, comprising: mixing, at a temperature selected from about 375° C. to about 500° C. and a total pressure selected from about 6.9 MPa to about 27.5 MPa: a) a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock containing at least 20 wt. % hydrocarbons having a boiling point of greater than 538° C. as determined in accordance with ASTM Method D5307; b) hydrogen; and c) a catalyst comprising a material comprised of a first metal and a second metal where the first metal is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, Bi, Ag, Mn, Zn, Sn, Ru, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Dy, Pb, and Sb, where the second metal is selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, V, Sn, and Sb, where the second metal is different from the first metal, and wherein the material is comprised of at least three linked chain elements, the chain elements comprising a first chain element including the first metal and having a structure according to formula (I) and a second chain element including the second metal and having a structure according to formula (II) where M 1 is the first metal where M 2 is the second metal where the material contains at least one first chain element and at least one second chain element and where chain elements in the material are linked by bonds between the two sulfur atoms of a chain element and the metal of an adjacent chain element, and wherein at least a portion of the material of the catalyst that is comprised of the first metal and the second metal has a structure according to formula (III) where M 1 is the first metal, M 2 is the second metal, and x is at least two where the hydrocarbon-containing feedstock, catalyst, and hydrogen form a mixture upon mixing; and while mixing the mixture at the selected temperature and selected total pressure, separating a vapor comprising a hydrocarbon-containing product from the mixture, where the hydrocarbon-containing product is comprised of one or more hydrocarbon compounds that are liquid at STP.