Appeal No. 2003-0366
Application 09/349,759
and aromatic hydrocarbons and further wherein said silylated, acid leached zeolite composition is
a zeolite which is acid leached then silylated.
36. A method of converting non-aromatic hydrocarbons to aromatic hydrocarbons,
ethylene, and propylene comprising contacting a feed comprising at least one non-aromatic
hydrocarbon containing 2-16 carbon atoms per molecule selected from a group consisting of
alkanes, alkenes, and cycloparaffins, with a steam treated, silylated zeolite composition, under
contacting conditions effective in obtaining a reaction product comprising ethylene, propylene,
and aromatic hydrocarbons and further wherein said steam treated, silylated zeolite composition
is a zeolite which is silylated then steam treated.
The appealed claims, as represented by claims 15 and 36, are drawn to methods of
converting non-aromatic hydrocarbons to aromatic hydrocarbons, ethylene and propylene
comprising contacting a feed comprising at least one non-aromatic hydrocarbon containing 2-16
carbon atoms per molecule selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkenes, and
cycloparaffins with a silylated, acid leached zeolite composition wherein the zeolite is acid
leached then silylated, and a steam treated, silylated zeolite composition wherein the zeolite is
silylated then steam treated, respectively. The zeolite catalyst can be a ZSM-5 zeolite (appealed
claims 79 and 84). According to appellants, each of the zeolite compositions increases the ratio
of olefin to aromatics and reduces the rate of coke formation in the conversion reaction
(specification, e.g., pages 3-4).
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Cattanach (Cattanach ‘942) 3,756,942 Sep. 4, 1973
Cattanach (Cattanach ‘024) 3,760,024 Sep. 18, 1973
Beck et al. (Beck) 5,567,666 Oct. 22, 1996
The examiner has rejected appealed claims 15 through 20, 36 through 42, 79, 81, 83, 84
and 86 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Beck incorporated with either
Cattanach ‘942 or Cattanach ‘024.
Appellants state in their brief (page 3) that the appealed claims “stand or fall together as a
group with claims 15 and 36.” Thus, we decide this appeal based on appealed claims 15 and 36.
37 CFR § 1.192(c)(7) (2002).
We affirm.
Rather than reiterate the respective positions advanced by the examiner and appellants,
we refer to the examiner’s answer and to appellants’ brief for a complete exposition thereof.
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