Appeal No. 1999-2802
Application 09/076,005
containing a
mixture of hydrogen sulfide and carbon oxide. Claim 1 is
illustrative:
1. A process for producing formaldehyde from a gas
containing carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide (H S) comprising
2
contacting the gas stream with a first catalyst comprising a
supported metal oxide of a metal selected from the group
consisting of vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo),
chromium (Cr), rhenium (Re), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn),
titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr) and tantalum (Ta) and mixtures
thereof, wherein said support is selected from titania,
zirconia, niobia, ceria, tin oxide and mixtures thereof with
the proviso that the support and the supported metal are not
the same, to convert said carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide
(H S) to methyl mercaptans and then contacting the methyl
2
mercaptans with a second catalyst selected from a supported
metal oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of
vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr),
rhenium (Re), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), titanium (Ti),
zirconium (Zr), tantalum (Ta) and mixtures thereof, and a bulk
metal oxide catalyst selected from the group consisting of
molybdates (Mo), chromates (Cr), vanadates (V), rhenates (Re),
titanates (Ti), niobates (Nb), tungstates (W), and mixtures
thereof, under oxidizing conditions for a time sufficient to
convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptans to
formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide, and recovering said
formaldehyde.
THE REJECTION
Claims 1, 3-6 and 8-14 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to
particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter
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