Appeal No. 1999-1861
Application No. 08/695,482
Nemet-Mavrodin, the primary reference, fails to disclose
treating the zeolite with an acid before incorporating the metal
component. Indeed, in order to obtain the desired alpha value of
greater than 5 and less than 33, which is a measure of the
catalyst's acidity, Nemet-Mavrodin teaches that the catalyst can
be deactivated (deacidified) by subjecting it to steaming, coking
or high temperature calcination. While the examiner relies upon
Rodewald for its disclosure of subjecting a zeolite catalyst to
an acid treatment, the alpha values exemplified by Rodewald are
628 and 1800, which are well above the alpha value range of 5-33
desired by Nemet-Mavrodin (see TABLE I of Rodewald).
Consequently, we agree with appellants that Rodewald would have
provided no motivation or suggestion for modifying the catalyst
preparation of Nemet-Mavrodin by adopting the acid treatment of
Rodewald. In addition, as noted by appellants, Rodewald does not
teach incorporating a metal into the catalyst after the acid
treatment, as required by the appealed claims.
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