Abstract: Provided is a process for producing, in a single step, hydrocarbon fractions useful as diesel fuel or as a component of diesel fuel, from a mixture of a biological origin containing esters of fatty acids and, optionally, aliquots of free fatty acids. The process comprises the contemporaneous hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization of the mixture of a biological origin, with the formation of linear and branched paraffins. The process is carried out in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising an amorphous carrier of an acidic nature and a metallic component containing one or more metals of group VIII.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for producing, in a single step, hydrocarbon fractions useful as diesel fuel or as a component of diesel fuel, from a mixture of a biological origin containing esters of fatty acids, and possibly also containing aliquots of free fatty acids. The process comprises the contemporaneous hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization of the mixture of a biological origin, with the formation of linear and branched paraffins. The process is carried out in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising: A) an amorphous carrier of an acidic nature, selected from: (1) an amorphous silica-alumina having a SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio higher than or equal to 5, (2) a porous solid comprising silicon, aluminium, phosphorus and oxygen bonded together so as to form an amorphous mixed oxide forming a single phase, characterized by a Si/Al atomic ratio ranging from 15 to 250, a P/Al ratio of at least 0.1, but lower than 5, preferably ranging from 0.3 to 3.