A process for disproportionating feed light alkane to obtain higher molecular weight hydrocarbons which comprises contacting the feed light alkane, at elevated temperature and pressure, with a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve composited with a Group VIII noble metal. Preferably the contacting is carried out in the presence of H.sub.2 O.
Process for converting propane to a mixture of normal butane and isobutane by contact with a ZSM-5 type zeolite in the absence of added hydrogen. The isobutane formed may be used to manufacture alkylate for motor fuel.
Salable hydrocarbon products prepared by reacting a light hydrocarbon gaseous stream with a gaseous oxidant to produce carbon oxides and hydrogen, which is contacted in a hydrocarbon synthesis zone to produce a product stream comprising salable hydrocarbon products. That product stream is separated into a gaseous fraction and at least one fraction of salable hydrocarbon products. The light hydrocarbon gaseous stream is formed by separating a light hydrocarbon gaseous feed comprising alkanes into a lighter fraction and a heavier fraction and contacting that heavier fraction in a disproportionation zone to convert a significant portion of the alkanes in the heavier fraction by disproportionation into both higher and lower alkanes, then at least part of the lighter fraction and the lower alkanes form the light hydrocarbon gaseous stream.
A process for averaging saturated hydrocarbon feed components of different molecular weight to components of intermediate molecular weight relative to the feed components which comprises contacting the saturated hydrocarbon feed components at a temperature between about 400.degree. and 850.degree.F. in a reaction zone with a catalytic mass comprising a component which has catalytic activity for alkane dehydrogenation, and a component which has catalytic activity for olefin averaging, and maintaining the olefin concentration in the reaction zone sufficiently low to produce in the reaction zone a saturated hydrocarbon product containing said components of intermediate molecular weight and containing less than 5 mole percent olefin. Preferred catalyst masses for use in the process of the present invention exemplifying the two required functions are platinum on alumina as the alkane dehydrogenation component and tungsten oxide on silica as the olefin averaging component. Low olefin concentrations in the reaction zone are crucial in the process of the present invention.
A process for disproportionation of saturated hydrocarbons which comprises contacting the saturated hydrocarbons in a disproportionation reaction zone and in the presence of no more than 5 weight percent olefins with a catalyst mass comprising a platinum component and a tungsten component, wherein the volumetric ratio of the platinum component to the tungsten component is greater than 2:7 and less than 7:2. Preferably the volumetric ratio of the platinum component to the tungsten component is between 3:7 and 10:7, and the reaction is preferably carried out at a temperature between 400.degree. to 800.degree.F.
A process for disproportionating a paraffinic hydrocarbon containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms to produce paraffinic hydrocarbons containing one more and one less carbon fragment per molecule is disclosed. In the process the paraffinic hydrocarbon is contacted at about 400.degree. to 1000.degree.F. with an acidic, crystalline aluminosilicate catalyst having a pore size of about 8 to 15 A, silica to alumina mole ratio greater than 2 to 1 and at least about 0.4 equivalent per gram atom of aluminum of hydrogen or metal ion.
