Catalyst Compositions and Processes for Making and Using Same

A process for making a catalyst composition, comprising:

• (I) combining a first compound comprising Mg, a second compound comprising Al, a first base compound, water, and optionally a Pt-containing compound and/or a promoter-containing compound under agitation conditions for a time sufficient to produce a slurry or a gel comprising a plurality of precursor support particles comprising water disposed thereon and/or therein;
• (II) contacting the slurry or the gel with an organic solvent to displace at least a portion of the water from the slurry or the gel to produce a plurality of precursor support particles comprising the organic solvent disposed thereon and/or therein, wherein optionally a Pt-containing compound and/or a promoter-containing compound is contacted with (i) the slurry or the gel or (ii) with the plurality of precursor support particles comprising the organic solvent disposed thereon and/or therein;
• (III) removing at least a portion of the organic solvent from the plurality of precursor support particles to produce a plurality of dried precursor support particles, wherein optionally a Pt-containing compound and/or a promoter-containing compound is contacted with the dried precursor support particles;
• and
• (IV) heating the plurality of dried precursor support particles to a temperature of at least 350° C., to produce a plurality of calcined support particles, wherein optionally a Pt-containing compound and/or a promoter-containing compound is contacted with the plurality of calcined support particles, wherein:
• the Pt-containing compound and the promoter-containing compound are independently present in at least one of steps (I), (II), (III), and (IV),
• the catalyst composition comprises up to 6 wt % of Pt and up to 10 wt % of the promoter, based on the weight of the plurality of calcined support particles,
• the promoter comprises Sn, Cu, Au, Ag, Ga, a combination thereof, or a mixture thereof,
• the plurality of calcined support particles comprises a mixed Mg/Al metal oxide, and
• the plurality of calcined support particles has a surface area ≥300 m2/g.

A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon, comprising:

• (I) contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with a catalyst composition comprising Pt and a promoter disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst composition and an effluent comprising one or more upgraded hydrocarbons and molecular hydrogen, wherein:
• the hydrocarbon-containing feed comprises one or more of C2-C16 linear or branched alkanes, or one or more of C4-C16 cyclic alkanes, or one or more C8-C16 alkyl aromatics, or a mixture thereof,
• the catalyst composition comprises up to 6 wt % of Pt and up to 10 wt % of the promoter, based on the weight of the support,
• the promoter comprises Sn, Cu, Au, Ag, Ga, a combination thereof, or a mixture thereof,
• the support comprises a mixed Mg/Al metal oxide, and
• the support has a surface area ≥300 m2/g.