Appeal No. 1997-0183
Application 08/206,623
The examiner finds that Kaiser discloses a catalytic
composition which comprises a Group VIII metal and a Group IB
metal deposited on an alumina support with a subsequent
treatment of the support with an alkali or alkaline earth
metal salt
(Answer, page 3). The examiner concedes that Kaiser “does not
teach the pretreatment of the support with alkali or alkaline
earth metal compounds prior to impregnating the support with
Group VIII and IB metals.” (Id.).
The examiner states that the “dispositive issue” in this
case is whether the post-impregnation of the Kaiser support
with alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds renders obvious
the subject matter of the claims on appeal (Id.). The
examiner states that there is “no dispute” about the teachings
of Kaiser but it is the examiner’s position “that a person of
ordinary skill would have been motivated to treat the support
with the alkali metal before the impregnation of such support
with the catalytic metals since any acidic properties would
have been inherently neutralized as the catalytic impregnation
step progresses.” (Answer, page 4, emphasis added). The
examiner further states that “such preimpregnation of the
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