Interactions between catalytic hydrodesulfurization of thiophene and hydrodenitrogenation of pyridine

Abstract

Abstract Pyridine hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) is more difficult than thiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and there is a thermodynamic limitation on the first step of the HDN reaction mechanism which occurs, for example, at 5 to 11 bars, at temperatures above about 350°C. Pyridine inhibits the HDS reaction as previously reported, but sulfur compounds have a dual effect on HDN. At low temperatures, thiophene inhibits the reaction by competing with pyridine for hydrogenation sites on the catalyst. This retards the hydrogenation of pyridine to piperidine, reducing the overall reaction rate. At high temperatures the dominant effect is interaction of hydrogen sulfide, an HDS reaction product, with the catalyst to improve its hydrogenolysis (hydrocracking) activity. This increases the rate of piperidine hydrogenolysis, which is rate determining at the latter conditions, and enhances the overall rate of HDN.