Hydrocracking process and catalyst therefor

In a catalytic hydrocracking process, the improvement comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrocracking catalyst under hydrocracking conditions producing a product hydrocarbon of lower average molecular weight than said feedstock, said catalyst comprising a Group VIB or Group VIII active metal component on a support comprising in admixture a dispersion of silica-alumina in alumina and a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite having catalytic cracking activity, a silica-to-alumina mole ratio above about 6.0, an X-ray diffraction pattern consistent with a Y zeolite of unit cell size of 24.75 angstroms or less, and a water adsorption capacity at 25.degree. C. and 4.6 mm Hg water vapor partial pressure of at least 20 percent by weight of the zeolite in its anhydrous form.

In a catalytic hydrocracking process, the improvement comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrocracking catalyst under hydrocracking conditions producing a substantial number of product hydrocarbon components boiling in the C.sub.4 to 700.degree. F. range, with more than 50 volume percent of said product hydrocarbon components being a middle distillate product boiling in the range of about 300.degree. to 700.degree. F. and at least about 15 volume percent of said components being a gasoline product boiling in the range of about 185.degree. and 300.degree. F., said hydrocracking catalyst comprising a nickel or cobalt active metal component and a molybdenum or tungsten active metal component on a support comprising in intimate admixture (1) a dispersion of silica-alumina in alumina and (2) a zeolite comprising at least 25 percent by weight of said support and having an X-ray powder diffraction pattern consistent with a Y zeolite of unit cell size below about 24.55 angstroms, a SiO.sub.2 to Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ratio above 6, and a water adsorption capacity at 25.degree. C. and 4.6 mm Hg water vapor partial pressure of at least 20 percent by weight of the zeolite in its anhydrous form.

In a catalytic hydrocracking process, the improvement comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrocracking catalyst under hydrocracking conditions, including the presence of hydrogen, producing a product hydrocarbon of lower average molecular weight than said feedstock, said catalyst comprising a Group VIB or Group VIII metal component in intimate admixture with a dispersion of silica-alumina in alumina and a zeolite, said zeolite being prepared by a method comprising:

• (1) contacting a Y zeolite with a fluorosilicate compound, said Y zeolite having been at least partially cation-exchanged to contain ammonium cations and said contacting yielding a resultant zeolite having a silica-to-alumina mole ratio above 6.0;
• and
• (2) calcining the resultant zeolite at an elevated temperature in the presence of water vapor at a partial pressure of at least 0.2 p.s.i.a., said calcined zeolite having a water adsorption capacity at 25.degree. C. and 4.6 mm Hg water vapor partial pressure of at least 20 percent by weight of the zeolite in its anhydrous form.