Catalyst for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons and process for its preparation

1. A process for the preparation of a supported nickel on silica catalyst which catalyst has a nickel content of 40 to 85 weight-% (calculated as NiO), a silicon content of 15 to 60 weight-% (calculated as SiO 2 ), a titanium content of 0.5 to 5.0 weight-% (calculated as TiO 2 ), and does not contain more than 0.20 weight-% iron (calculated as Fe), wherein the catalyst has a monomodal Ni-crystallite size distribution with a mean crystallite size of the reduced catalyst of 1.5 to 3.5 nm, a pore volume of at least 0.60 ml/g and wherein the proportion of the pore volume of pores with a pore diameter of ≧10 nm is at least 55%;

wherein the process comprises reacting a metal salt solution which comprises a nickel ion source and a titanium ion source and which is substantially free of iron with a sodium waterglass solution, which waterglass is a SiO 2 source, at a pH from 8 to 9.5 and at a temperature from 70° C. to 100° C., so as to co-precipitate a catalyst material and recovering the co-precipitated catalyst material to obtain a supported nickel on silica catalyst, and optionally drying, calcining and reducing.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal salt solution comprises Ni 2+ and TiO 2+ , and one or more ions selected from Al 3+ , Cr 3+ , Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ , and ZrO 2+ .

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 , whereinthe sodium waterglass solution comprises Al(OH) 4 − , TiO 2 , ZnO or ZrO 2 .

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reduction level of nickel in the catalyst is from 52 to 80%.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a zinc content of 0.1 to 4.0 weight-% (calculated as ZnO).

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a chromium content of 0.1 to 0.3 weight-% (calculated as Cr 2 O 3 ).

7. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a zirconium content of 0.1 to 3.0 weight-% (calculated as ZrO 2 ).

8. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is a powdered catalyst whose pore volume is at least 0.68 ml/g, or which is a shaped catalyst wherein the proportion of the pore volume of pores with a pore diameter ≧10 nm is at least 65%.

9. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support contains one or more of the compounds selected from the group consisting of magnesium silicate, alumosilicate, TiO 2 , nickel titanate, zirconium dioxide, nickel zirconate and ZnO.

10. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has an aluminum content of 2to 10 weight-% (calculated as Al 2 O 3 ).

11. A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst has a magnesium content of 0.1 to 3.0 weight-% (calculated as MgO).

12. A process for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, wherein the unsaturated hydrocarbons are provided, contacted with at a catalyst under reaction conditions and hydrogenated hydrocarbons are obtained, wherein the catalyst is a supported nickel on silica catalyst which catalyst has a nickel content of 40 to 85 weight-% (calculated as NiO), a silicon content of 15 to 60 weight-% (calculated as SiO 2 ), a titanium content of 0.5 to 5.0 weight-% (calculated as TiO 2 ), and does not contain more than 0.20 weight-% iron (calculated as Fe), wherein the catalyst has a monomodal Ni-crystallite size distribution with a mean crystallite size of the reduced catalyst of 1.5 to 3.5 nm, a pore volume of at least 0.60 ml/g and wherein the proportion of the pore volume of pores with a pore diameter of ≧10 nm is at least 55%.

13. A process for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons according to claim 12 , wherein the unsaturated hydrocarbons are aromatic compounds.