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Desulfurization with transition-metal catalysts: scope and mechanism of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds with subvalent nickel compounds. Final technical report, September 27, 1979-September 26, 1981. [Desulfurization of dibenzothiophene, coal liquids benzylmercaptan, dibenzyl sulfide, dibenzyl disulfide]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5387451

Ongoing research in this author's laboratory has uncovered novel nickel(0) reagents that desulfurize dibenzothiophene, a common constituent of coal tar, in an homogeneous medium at temperatures below 100/sup 0/. The first objective of this research was to make a thorough study of the mechanism and scope of this desulfurization, in which study a variety of organic sulfur compounds were examined and the experimental variables maximized for mild, complete reaction. The second objective was to prepare low- or zero-valent transition metal compounds of molybdenum, cobalt and iron, and to test their desulfurizing efficacy on a series of model organosulfur derivatives. These metals were chosen because as high-temperature, heterogeneous catalysts they display desulfurizing activity. After sufficient progress had been made on achieving desulfurization in an homogeneous medium with stoichiometric amounts of these metal complexes, then catalytic desulfurizations in an atmosphere of hydrogen were studied. Finally, samples of solvent-refined coal liquids were treated with such soluble desulfurizing reagents, in order to learn whether any cleavage of sulfide linkages would lead to sulfur removal.

Research Organization:
State Univ. of New York, Binghamton (USA). Dept. of Chemistry
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-79ET14879
OSTI ID:
5387451
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/14879-T8; ON: DE82005200
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English