Appeal 2007-2549
Application 10/163,206
25, all of the claims pending in the Application. We have jurisdiction under
35 U.S.C. § 6(b). We AFFIRM.
A. The invention
Appellants' invention is directed to a method for alkylating
hydrocarbons to obtain alkylates, e.g., gasoline and/or gasoline constituents
having a RON antiknock rating of 90 or higher. Claim 1 is illustrative of the
subject matter on appeal.
1. A process comprising (i) reacting an alkylatable
compound with an alkylation agent over a solid
acid alkylation catalyst to form an alkylate, and (ii)
regenerating said catalyst under mild regeneration
conditions in the presence of hydrogen and
hydrocarbon, wherein the hydrocarbon comprises
at least a portion of the formed alkylate.
B. The rejections
The Examiner rejected claims 1-25 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a). The
following prior art2 was relied upon by the Examiner:
Holmes US 3,976,713 Aug. 24, 1976
Van Broekhoven WO 98/23560 Jun. 4, 1998
He (Yigong) EP 1,070,694 A1 Jan. 24, 2001
Both Appellants and the Examiner have referred to Van Broekhoven
and He as Broekhoven and Yigong, respectively, in their Brief3 and
Answer.4 This decision will refer to the references as Broekhoven and
Yigong for consistency. Holmes, Broekhoven and Yigong qualify as prior
art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
2 No references to et al. are made in this opinion.
3 Substitute Brief on Appeal (hereinafter "Br.") filed 6 October 2006.
4 Examiner's Answer (hereinafter "Answer") mailed 1 December 2006.
2
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