Hydrodesulfurization of Dibenzothiophene Catalyzed by Supported Metal Carbonyl Complexes. (Part 1). Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts Prepared from Alumina-supported Group VI Metal Carbonyl Complexes.

Abstract

Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) catalyzed by alumina-supported metal carbonyl complexes (Mo(CO)6, Cr(CO)6, W(CO)6) was investigated in a pressurized flow system. Catalysts prepared by activation of metal carbonyl complexes-triethylamine(NEt3)-ethanethiol(EtSH)/Al2O3 systems where metal carbonyls were reacted with NEt3 and EtSH to give anionic complexes with metal-sulfur bonds were found to be active in HDS of DBT. When a Mo(CO)6-NEt3-EtSH/Al2O3 system was activated by H2 or H2S, the catalytic activity was the highest among catalysts derived from supported-metal carbonyls and the conversion of DBT at 300°C was 43%, which was higher than that over a conventional molybdena-alumina. From NO chemisorption and XPS measurement, it was deduced that hydrogenation of a Mo(CO)6-NEt3-EtSH/Al2O3 system would give alumina-supported MoS2-x species which was active in HDS of DBT.