EFFECT ON THE REACTION BETWEEN METHANOL AND HYDROGEN-SULFIDE OF NA ORMO DOPING ON ZIRCONIA AND ALUMINA

The effect of sodium doping on alumina and zirconia activity in methan ethiol formation from hydrosulphurisation of methanol by H2S was studi ed. It provoked an activity decrease and a selectivity increase in agr eement with the catalysts basicity increase. By contrast, molybdenum d oped zirconia samples presented a higher activity but a lower selectiv ity than pure zirconia, as expected from their higher acidity. Increas e of the CH3OH/H2S ratio in the reaction mixture improved both activit y and CH3SH selectivity. It was found that zirconia loaded with small amounts of molybdenum working under H2S excess shows good performances towards CH3SH production. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.