Bifunctional metal oxides and paraffin isomerization therewith

A method comprising:

• combining a zirconium source, a tungsten source, and a variable oxidation state metal source in a reaction mixture under alkaline conditions having a pH of about 7.5 or greater;
• wherein the variable oxidation state metal comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Ce, Ni, and any combination thereof;
• obtaining under the alkaline conditions a slurry comprising a co-precipitate reaction product formed from the zirconium source, the tungsten source, and the variable oxidation state metal source;
• digesting the slurry and forming an amorphous digestion product from the co-precipitate reaction product;
• and
• calcining the amorphous digestion product in air at a temperature ranging from about 700° C. to about 900° C. to obtain a mixed metal oxide that is at least partially crystalline and comprises about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % tungsten, about 40 wt. % to about 70 wt. % zirconium, and about 0.01 wt. % to about 2 wt. % variable oxidation state metal, each based on a total mass of the mixed metal oxide;
• wherein the mixed metal oxide has a total surface area of about 50 m2/g or greater as measured according to ISO 9277, and at least one of the following:
• an ammonia uptake of about 0.05 to about 0.3 mmol/g as measured by temperature programmed adsorption/desorption, or
• a collidine uptake of about 100 μmol/g or greater as measured gravimetrically.

A method comprising:

• heating a mixed metal oxide under hydrogen to form an activated catalyst, the mixed metal oxide being at least partially crystalline and comprising about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % tungsten, about 40 wt. % to about 70 wt. % zirconium, and about 0.01 wt. % to about 2 wt. % variable oxidation state metal, wherein the mixed metal oxide is further impregnated with about 0.01 wt. % to about 2 wt. % noble metal, each based on a total mass of the mixed metal oxide plus noble metal;
• wherein the mixed metal oxide has a total surface area of between 50 m2/g and 150 m2/g as measured according to ISO 9277, and at least one of the following:
• an ammonia uptake of about 0.05 to about 0.3 mmol/g as measured by temperature programmed adsorption/desorption, or
• a collidine uptake of about 100 μmol/g or greater as measured gravimetrically;
• contacting the activated catalyst with a hydrocarbon feedstock under isomerization reaction conditions, the hydrocarbon feedstock comprising at least one C7+ normal alkane;
• and
• forming one or more branched alkanes from the at least one C7+ normal alkane.