High strength presulfided catalyst for hydrogenating hydrocarbon resins

Abstract

High strength presulfided catalyst for hydrogenating hydrocarbon resins without an in situ sulfiding step. The catalyst particles have a supported metal catalyst structure with presulfided interstitial surfaces with about 20 weight percent of a low molecular weight hydrocarbon resin, based on the weight of the porous supported metal catalyst structure, filling from 90 to 95 percent of the pore volume to improve a crush strength of the catalyst particles. The presulfided catalyst can be stored and/or shipped in an airtight container with an inert atmosphere. The catalyst particles are made by preparing the oxidized catalyst, presulfiding the catalyst, contacting the catalyst with the low molecular weight hydrocarbon resin in an inert atmosphere, sealing the catalyst in a storage/shipping container, loading the reactor with the presulfided, filled catalyst, and contacting the catalyst with an unsaturated hydrocarbon resin under hydrogenation conditions.

We claim: 
     
       1. A packaged, presulfided catalyst useful to hydrogenate hydrocarbon resin without an in situ sulfiding step, comprising:
 porous catalyst particles comprising a supported metal catalyst structure comprising an internal pore volume with presulfided interstitial surfaces; 
 about 20 wt. % of a low molecular weight hydrocarbon resin, based on the weight of the supported metal catalyst structure, filling from 90 to 95 percent of the pore volume to improve a crush strength of the catalyst particles; and 
 an air-tight, transportable container housing the discrete catalyst particles in an inert atmosphere. 
 
     
     
       2. A method to hydrogenate hydrocarbon resin, comprising:
 preparing catalyst particles comprising a supported metal catalyst structure comprising an internal pore volume with oxidized interstitial surfaces; 
 sulfiding the supported metal catalyst structure to form presulfided interstitial surfaces; 
 in an inert atmosphere, contacting the presulfided catalyst particles with about 20 wt. % percent of a low molecular weight hydrocarbon resin, based on the weight of the presulfided catalyst particles, to fill from 90 to 95 percent of the pore volume and improve a crush strength of the catalyst particles; 
 optionally screening the resin-filled catalyst particles to remove fines; 
 sealing the resin-filled catalyst particles in an air-tight, transportable container housing the discrete catalyst particles in an inert atmosphere; 
 loading the resin-filled catalyst particles from the container into a catalyst bed in a hydrogenation reactor; and 
 immediately (without a separate in situ sulfiding step) contacting the catalyst bed with an unsaturated hydrocarbon resin under hydrogenation conditions to hydrogenate the unsaturated hydrocarbon resin.