Conversion of synthesis gas to diesel fuel and gasoline

Claim 1

A process for the conversion of synthesis gas to diesel fuel and gasoline, which comprises contacting synthesis gas consisting essentially of CO and hydrogen in a synthesis gas conversion zone with a synthesis gas conversion catalyst comprising cobalt and 0 to about 100 parts by weight of a Group IIIB or IVB metal oxide per 100 parts by weight of said cobalt, on a high surface area, high purity, low acidity alumina support of gamma-alumina, eta-alumina or mixtures thereof, said catalyst having a hydrogen chemisorption value of from about 100 to about 300 micromol of hydrogen per gram of total catalyst when measured at 25° C., said catalyst having been prepared by (A) impregnation of said alumina support with a non-aqueous, organic solvent impregnation solution of cobalt nitrate and (B) reduction of said impregnated alumina support by heating, in the presence of hydrogen gas, at a heating rate of from about 0.5° to about 5° C. per minute to a maximum hold temperature in the range of 180° to about 220° C. for a hold time of 6 to about 24 hours and thereafter heating said impregnated alumina support in the presence of hydrogen gas while heating up to a maximum hold temperature of from about 250° to about 400° C. for a hold time of 6 to about 65 hours, to produce a reaction effluent comprising straight chain hydrocarbons boiling in the diesel fuel boiling range and in the C 5 -C 9 range, separating a stream comprising said straight chain paraffins in the C 5 -C 9 range from the reaction effluent and subjecting said separated stream to dehydrocyclization in the presence of hydrogen and a dehydrocyclization catalyst in a dehydrocyclization conversion zone to produce a high octane gasoline product.