DISSOCIATION OF DIHYDROGEN AND HYDROGEN-SULFIDE OVER A SULFIDED NIMO-ALUMINA CATALYST AS EVIDENCED BY D2S-H-2 ISOTOPIC EXCHANGE

To investigate the possible role of surface sulfur in the activation o f dihydrogen, the reaction of D2S with H-2 was carried out at 423 K on a presulfided NiMo-Al2O3 catalyst. The incorporation of D atoms in H- 2 shows that the catalyst is capable of dissociating H2S and H-2 into species which by recombination make the exchange of hydrogen atoms pos sible between these molecules. This can be considered as evidence of t he involvement of surface sulfur in the activation of dihydrogen.