Comment of the Interagency Intelligence Advisory Group on Exchanges, dated4
Subject: Chemical Catalysis: Project on In-depth Study of Selected Catalytic Systems
"The comment was occasioned by the letter of George Keulks to. Krylov datednd is as follows:
"The particular aspect of catalysis research, namely the isomerization ofn zeolites and silica-alumina, has potential applications in the cracking (processing) ofeneral area in which the Soviets haveong-standing need for assistance. esult, we are led to wonder just what new and useful information the OS collaborators will receive from their Soviet counterpartsesult of their joint research. Moreover, we noted with interest Dr. Kazansky's observation that theutene needed for his part of the research was unavailable in the USSR and would Dr. Hall send him some.
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rust you will call this opinion to the US experts working on this topic, and we would welcome any comment they may have."
On4 the Secretariat forwarded to the IIAGE Dr. Baldeschwieler's review of the above comment:
"As farm aware, the isomerizationand olefins on zeolites andwell understood,o not believeor commercial information is Pure butanetandardstudy of catalytic surfaces,ope
in the program, we will have access to
sta'hdartl'* materials as well."
4
MEMORATOUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: OSI Assessment of Progress in theBilateral Agreement Project on Chemical Catalysis
Little substantive information on Soviet catalysis research has yet surfacedesult of the US-USSR exchange. Since the exchange ofbetween US and Soviet laboratories has only recently begun, it is premature to expect detailed and considered reports on assessments of the quality of Soviet researchers, comments on the Soviet research techniques, and judge ments on the state-of-the-art in Soviet catalysis research.
Brief visits of technical personnel and short tours of facilities have led to reports on general American impressions of the Soviets-*the most significant being that the Soviet catalysis research is overly theoretical and that the Soviets have difficulty in incorporating applicable research results into production techniques. (Note, however, that this judgement was presented in the first support paper).
Recent Soviet purchases of petrochemical plants/ processes from the US and from other countries3 agreement between the USSR and Lummus/Monsanto toetrochemicalomprise the latest indication of longstanding Soviet shortcomings in the chemical industry which have clearly included catalyst technology problems on the industrial level.
SUBJECT: OSI Assessment of Progress in theBilateral Agreement Project on Chemical Catalysis
4. Although at the outset of the exchange it appeared the Soviets' goal probably was to get quick answers on catalysts applicable to industrial processes, the US side has succeeded pretty well in keeping the progran on the "academic research" plane. The Soviets' objectives now aay be somewhat less grandiose and opportunistic than at the outset. This is reflected partly in the fact that the principal Soviet participants are Academy theoreticians, not Ministry of Chemical Industry representatives.
Original document.
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