Evidence of Brønsted acidity on sulfided promoted and unpromoted [formula omitted] catalysts

Abstract

It is uncertain what effect acidity, especially protonic (Bronsted) acidity, has on typical hydrotreating reactions over molybdenum-containing, sulfided catalysts. In a study of the hydrogenation of 1-hexene, small amounts of propylene were found together with the major product, hexane. The amount of the former increased with increase in the H{sub 2}S partial pressure, leading to the supposition that H{sub 2}S increased the Bronsted acidity of the sulfided catalyst. The hydrodenitrogenation of quinoline was also found to be promoted by H{sub 2}S, which was attributed to an increase in the number of Bronsted acid sites. However, no direct evidence for the presence of Bronsted acid sites was obtained. One of the advantages of using pyridine as the probe molecule for monitoring acidity is that it can adsorb both as coordinated and protonated pyridine on Lewis and Bronsted acid sites, respectively. These adsorbed pyridine species can be easily distinguished by infrared spectroscopy. Bronsted and Lewis acid sites have been detected for oxidic promoted and unpromoted Mo/Al{sub 2}/O{sub 3} catalysts but only Lewis acidity has been found on the corresponding sulfided catalysts. It should be pointed out that most of the previous IR studies have been carried out with pyridine adsorption at relativelymore » low temperatures (below 423 K). It occurred to the authors that since the Bronsted acidity, if it exists, must be weak, higher temperatures may be required to produce the pyridinium ion. The present not reports IR evidence of Bronsted acidity at elevated temperatures corresponding to those typically employed under hydroprocessing reactions.« less