THE ACTIVITY OF TRANSITION-METAL NITRIDES FOR HYDROTREATING QUINOLINEAND THIOPHENE

An investigation has been conducted of the activity of AlN, BN, TiN, V N, Mo2N, and W2N as catalysts for quinoline hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) . The activity of Mo2N and VN for thiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and the concurrent hydrotreatment of quinoline and thiophene have als o been examined. Bulk AlN, BN, and TiN were obtained with low surface areas and found to be inactive for the HDN of quinoline. Bulk Mo2N, W2 N, and VN could be obtained with high surface area. Each of these nitr ides exhibited high activity for quinoline HDN, the turnover frequency for this reaction decreasing in the order Mo2N > W2N > VN. Highly dis persed VN supported on SiO2 was found to have a specific activity for quinoline HDN identical to that of bulk VN. Both bulk Mo2N and 27% VN/ SiO2 exhibit high activity for the HDS of thiophene. The behavior of t hese two catalysts for the concurrent hydrotreatment of quinoline and thiophene is also discussed.