skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Fundamental hydrodenitrogenation studies of polycyclic N-containing compounds found in heavy oils. 1. 5,6-benzoquinoline

Journal Article · · Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00086a002· OSTI ID:6160359

The hydrodenitrogenation reactions of 5,6-benzoquinoline (1), a component of heavy oils, were systematically investigated as a function of reaction time, temperature, sulfided catalyst type, and CS/sub 2/ (H/sub 2/S) concentration in the reactant solution. Kinetic rate constants and activation energies were determined for each step of a complex reaction network, which comprises fast hydrogenation of the pyridine ring in 1 (kappa/sub 1/) to yield 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5,6-benzoquinoline (2), followed by two competing reactions, i.e., slow C-N hydrogenolysis (kappa/sub 2/) versus fast ring hydrogenation (kappa/sub 3/) of 2 to yield 1-propylnaphthalene (5) and 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10-octahydro-5,6-benzoquinoline (3a), respectively. The intermediate compound 3a likewise undergoes competing C-N hydrogenolysis (kappa/sub 5/) versus further ring hydrogenation (kappa/sub 6/) to yield 1-propyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (4a) and perhydro-5,6-benzoquinole (6), respectively. Under the experimental conditions (temperature, 79-330/sup 0/C; H/sub 2/ pressure, 2500 psig; sulfided CoMo and NiMo catalysts), kappa/sub 3/ >> kappa/sub 2/, while kappa/sub 5/ > kappa/sub 6/, indicating that (aromatic) C-N bond hydrogenolysis is much slower, whereas (aliphatic) C-N bond hydrogenolysis is faster, as compared with competing ring hydrogenation. Activation energies (kilocalories/mole) determined were 12.4 for hydrogenation of a conjugated pyridine ring, 12.7 for a conjugated benzene ring, and 39.4 for a nonconjugated (single) benzene ring; 24.4 for (aliphatic) C-N bond hydrogenolysis, and 49.4 for (aromatic) C-N bond hydrogenolysis. The high H/sub 2/ consumption in the overall HDN process underlines the need for improved sulfided catalysts, possessing augmented C-N hydrogenolysis versus ring hydrogenation selectivity.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Fuels Engineering, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
OSTI ID:
6160359
Journal Information:
Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.; (United States), Vol. 28:2, Issue 2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English