Hydroprocessing catalysts and their production

A process for producing a hydroprocessing catalyst, the process comprising:

• (a) forming a reaction mixture comprising a source of a first metal oxide in a protic liquid and heating the reaction mixture under hydrothermal conditions to form a particulate metal oxide composition, the first metal oxide comprising an oxide of at least one first metal selected from Group 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements;
• (b) mixing the formed particulate metal oxide composition with particles of a sulfide of at least one second metal selected from Groups 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements to produce a particulate catalyst precursor;
• and
• (c) sulfiding the particulate catalyst precursor under conditions sufficient to at least partially convert the components of the particulate catalyst precursor into a layered metal sulfide having defect sites associated with the second metal sulfide.