Abstract: A process for increasing the hydrogenation activity, particularly the carbon monoxide hydrogenation activity, of a catalyst or catalyst precursor comprised of a particulate solids support component and a catalytic metal, or metals component, preferably cobalt; cobalt alone or cobalt and an additional metal, or metals added to promote or modify the reaction produced by the cobalt. Treatment of the catalyst, or catalyst precursor is conducted at low temperature ranging from ambient to about 275° C. sufficient to form on the surface of a catalyst precursor, e.g., a cobalt catalyst precursor, a cobalt metal hydroxide, low valence cobalt metal oxide, or mixture of cobalt metal hydroxide and low valence cobalt metal oxide. Sometimes also metallic metal, e.g., cobalt, is also formed, and dispersed on the surface of the support.

Abstract: A catalyst precursor comprising a composite of a solids support, or powder component, and a compound or salt of a metal, or metals component, inclusive of cobalt, is upon reduction rendered catalytically active for conducting hydrogenation reactions, especially carbon monoxide hydrogenation reactions by contact at low temperature with liquid water, or steam, or a mixture of liquid water and steam, sufficient to oxidize and convert the metal, or metals component of the catalyst precursor to a metal hydroxide, low oxygen-containing metal oxide, or mixture of metal hydroxide and low oxygen-containing metal oxide. On reduction, as may be produced by contact and treatment of the oxidized catalyst precursor with hydrogen, the now well dispersed oxide or hydroxylated catalytic metal, or metals component of the catalyst, is reduced to metallic metal, e.g., Co, and the catalyst thereby activated.