Abstract: Hydrocarbon conversion catalysts comprising a metal halide in combination with a Bronsted acid containing fluorine that have become deactivated or partially deactivated by the formation of allyl and alkylaromatic carbonium ion complexes with the acid during contact with a hydrocarbon feedstock may be regenerated by contacting said catalyst, in the presence of molecular hydrogen and under suitable regeneration conditions, with a noble metal hydrogenation component. A preferred catalyst comprises tantalum pentafluoride and hydrogen fluoride. Palladium is the preferred noble metal hydrogenation component.

Abstract: A process for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon fractions is described which comprises dissolving said unsaturated hydrocarbon fraction in a liquid acid system, said liquid acid system being selected from the group consisting of liquid HF, other liquid Bronsted acid containing fluorine, fluorine containing Friedel-Crafts catalyst (such as BF.sub.3, TaF.sub.5) in liquid HF or other liquid fluorine containing Bronsted acid and contacting the resulting solution with a catalyst selected from the group consisting of the elemental oxide and sulfide forms of platinum and iridium and the elemental and oxide forms of palladium promoted with a liquid acid system said liquid acid system being selected from the group consisting of liquid fluorine containing Bronsted acid and fluorine containing Friedel-Crafts catalyst in liquid fluorine containing Bronsted acid in a pressurized hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature sufficient to facilitate the reaction and avoid hydrocracking.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstocks are hydrocracked by contacting the feedstock in the presence of hydrogen and under hydrocracking reaction conditions with a catalyst comprised of a metal fluoride, the metal being boron, tantalum, niobium or mixtures thereof, a fluoride containing Bronsted acid and a Group VIII noble metal hydrogenation component, the Bronsted acid being present in at least an equi-molar amount relative to the metal fluoride and sufficient to dissolve at least a portion of the metal fluoride. The presence of the noble metal hydrogenation component serves to extend the hydrocracking catalyst life of the metal fluoride and fluoride containing Bronsted acid. The catalyst can be described as a slurry or dispersion composed of a solid noble metal on a support in a liquid phase acid system.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstocks are hydrocracked by contacting the feedstock in the presence of hydrogen and under hydrocracking reaction conditions with a catalyst comprised of a metal fluoride, the metal being tantalum, niobium, boron or mixtures thereof, a fluoride containing Bronsted acid and palladium or iridium, the Bronsted acid being present in at least an equimolar amount relative to the metal fluoride and sufficient to dissolve at least a portion of the metal fluoride. The presence of palladium or iridium serves to extend the hydrocracking catalyst life of the metal fluoride and fluoride containing Bronsted acid. The catalyst can be described as a slurry or dispersion composed of the noble metal on a support in a liquid phase acid system.

Abstract: Adding liquid HF or liquid Bronsted acids containing fluorine to palladium results in a catalyst which demonstrates enhanced hydrogenation activity on the order of 10 to 144 times that of palladium by itself. Adding a Friedel-Crafts catalyst containing fluorine (e.g. BF.sub.3, TaF.sub.5) to the liquid HF or liquid Bronsted acids containing fluorine leads to even greater hydrogenation rate increases, e.g. 3500 times. Addition of liquid HF or Friedel-Crafts catalysts containing fluorine in HF or Bronsted acid containing fluorine to platinum also results in a superior catalyst possessing enhanced hydrogenation rates but to a lesser degree than with palladium. However, such liquid acid promoted platinum catalysts are more tolerant to sulfur, than are palladium catalysts, making them attractive as heavy ends, resid and coal liquid hydrogenation catalysts. Iridium has also been discovered to be a good hydrogenation catalyst.