Modified crystalline aluminosilicate for dehydration of alcohols

A process for the preparation of a catalyst composition comprising the steps of:

• (A) providing a crystalline aluminosilicate of the Framework Type FER having Si/Al framework molar ratio greater than 20, and
• (B) treating said crystalline aluminosilicate to form a modified crystalline aluminosilicate with the following steps:
• i. Not performing any steaming on said crystalline aluminosilicate and;
• ii. treating the product obtained at step i.) with an organic acidic medium and/or an organic medium;
• and/or
• iii. selectively poisoning strong acid sites of the product obtained at step i.) or ii.) by adding a solution comprising alkali salts or alkaline earth salts or silver, so that the weight percent of alkali or alkaline earth or silver on the catalyst composition is of at least 0.5% weight, measured by chemical analysis with the method ASTM UOP961-12;
• wherein said modified crystalline aluminosilicate obtained with said treatment (B) comprises a modified crystalline aluminosilicate wherein
• said modified crystalline aluminosilicate is of the Framework Type FER having Si/Al framework molar ratio greater than 20;
• in said modified crystalline aluminosilicate the extra framework aluminum, EFAL, content is lower than 15 wt % measured by 27Al MAS NMR;
• in said modified crystalline aluminosilicate the ratio between the strong acid sites and the weak acid sites, S/W, is lower than 1.0;
• the ratio S/W being measured by temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia and being determined by the ratio of the peak area of ammonia desorbed above 340° C. to that desorbed below 340° C.