| abstract |
A catalyst comprising of Group VIII metal selected from Pt, Ir, Os, Ru, Rh, or Pd supported on alumina is activated at an elevated temperature with an activating gas comprising a hydrogen halide such as HCl, a halosilane such as silicon tetrachloride, and an organic halide such as ethyl chloride. The resulting catalysts exhibit an outstandingly high isomerization rate constant in the isomerization of feedstocks such as n-butane to isobutane. |