Patent ID: 8829260

Claim:
A process for the production of olefins from at least one of an alcohol and an ether, the process comprising: contacting at least one of an alcohol and an ether with a selectively poisoned amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst under decomposition conditions to produce an olefin; wherein the amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst is prepared by a process comprising: contacting the amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst with a poison at a temperature from 0° C. to 200° C.; washing the selectively poisoned amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst with a solvent comprising water, alcohol, acetone, or a mixture thereof; drying the washed selectively poisoned amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst; calcining the dried selectively poisoned amorphous synthetic alumina-silica catalyst at a temperature from 200° C. to 600° C.; and wherein selective poisoning elements are selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Cu, Pb, Cr, Sn, Zn, Ti, Bi, Mo, La, Ce, and Ac.