Process for conversion of acyclic C5 compounds to cyclic C5 compounds and catalyst composition for use therein

A process for conversion of an acyclic C5 feedstock to a product comprising cyclic C5 compounds including cyclopentadiene, said process comprising the steps of contacting said feedstock and, optionally, hydrogen under acyclic C5 conversion conditions in the presence of a catalyst composition to form said product, wherein said catalyst composition is made by the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a crystalline aluminosilicate comprising a Group 1 alkali metal and/or a Group 2 alkaline earth metal and having a constraint index of less than or equal to 5 selected from the group consisting of zeolite beta, mordenite, faujasite, zeolite L, and mixtures of two or more thereof;
• (b) optionally, treating said crystalline aluminosilicate with an acid at a PH of greater than or equal to 7 to increase the surface area of said crystalline aluminosilicate and to form an acid-treated aluminosilicate;
• and
• (c) contacting said acid-treated aluminosilicate of step (b) with a source of a Group 10 metal, and, optionally, a Group 11 metal, to form said catalyst composition, whereby said catalyst composition having said Group 10 metal, and/or, optionally, said Group 11 metal, deposited thereon.