TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Catalyst: The (de)hydrogenation component comprises a noble metal and a non-noble metal in the form of oxide, hydroxide or at least one metal chosen from groups VB, IVA, VIIB and group VIII metals. The VIB metal oxyanion is oxyanion of molybdenum or tungsten. The (de)hydrogenation component preferably has platinum and tin and titania or zirconia as VIB metal oxide. The (de)hydrogenation component comprises platinum oxide, hydroxide or oxide of zirconium as IVB metal oxide and tungstate as VIB metal oxyanion. Preferred Composition: The catalyst comprises calculated mole ratio XO2/YO3 of upto 300, preferably 2-100 and more preferably 4-30 where X is the group IVB metal and Y is group VIB metal and 0.001-5 weight percent (wt.%) of (de)hydrogenation component based on the total weight of the catalyst. The catalyst has 0.1-2 wt.% of platinum.Preferred Conditions: The isomerization process is carried out in the presence of hydrogen and the catalyst is treated with hydrogen prior to contact with 4-8C hydrocarbons. The process is performed at 93-425 degreesC, preferably 149-370 degreesC, pressure upto 7000 KPa, preferably 445-79 KPa and liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) of 0.1-10, preferably 0.5-5. The molar ratio of hydrogen to hydrocarbon in the feed is 0.01:1-10:1, preferably 0.5:1-2:1. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - The feed comprises straight chain paraffin chosen from n-butane, n-pentane and n-hexane, preferably n-hexane. The isomerization product comprises 2,2-dimethylbutane (DMB).    EXAMPLE - A hydrous zirconia support was prepared and mixed with 10 parts of distilled de-ionized water and pH of the mixture was made basic on treatment with aqueous ammonium hydroxide. The mixture was refluxed, cooled, filtered and washed with water. The solid was air dried and impregnated with aqueous solution containing one part of ammonium metatungstate, dried and calcined. One part of chloroplatinic acid was mixed with 2.5 part of water and the mixture was impregnated into dried product and calcined at 300 degreesC in air for 2 hours. The catalyst was reduced with hydrogen at 300 degreesC and atmospheric pressure for 18 hours. The catalyst so obtained was used for isomerization of hexane feed at 230 degreesC, pressure of 450 psig and LHSV of 0.6. The product obtained contained (in weight%) 1-5C hydrocarbons (6.5), 2,2-DMB (23.4), 2,3-DMB (10.6), 2-methyl pentane (36.2) and 3-methyl pentane (23.3). Yield of 2,2-DMB was 19.7 wt.%.