Pyridine hydrodenitrogenation over molybdenum carbide catalysts

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Journal of Catalysis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/jcat.1995.1143· OSTI ID:98961

Choi, Jeong-Gil ^[1]; Brenner, J R; Thompson, L T ^[2]

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1. Han Nam Univ., Daejon (Korea, Democratic People`s Republic of)
2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

A series of molybdenum carbides was prepared by the temperature-programmed carburization of MoO{sub 3} with pure CH{sub 4} or an equimolar mixture of CH{sub 4} and H{sub 2}. The resulting materials contained only Mo{sub 2}C in the bulk, but the surface areas and average pore sizes depended on the heating rate and H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4} ratio employed. In general, the surface area increased with increases in the heating rate and/or H{sub 2}CH{sub 4} ratio. The Mo carbides were mesoporous with a small amount of microporosity and the average pore sizes ranged from 27 to 52 A. Oxygen uptakes corresponded to {approximately}13% of the Mo on the carbide surface being accessible. The Mo carbides were very active for pyridine hydrodenitrogenation with catalytic properties that were similar to those of Mo nitrides and superior to those of commercial sulfided Co-Mo and Ni-MO/{gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} hydrotreatment catalysts. Pyridine hydroenitrogenation over the Mo carbides appeared to be structure-sensitive as the activity and selectivity varied with changes in the surface area. Selectivities over the carbides were significantly different from those over the Mo nitride and sulfide catalysts. While the Mo carbides produced substantial amounts of cyclopentane, the Mo nitrides and the sulfided catalysts produced mostly pentane with only trace amounts of cyclopentane. These differences have been interpreted in terms of differing bonding geometries for pyridine on the Mo carbides and nitrides. 30 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 98961
• Journal Information: Journal of Catalysis, Journal Name: Journal of Catalysis Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 154; ISSN 0021-9517; ISSN JCTLA5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
02 PETROLEUM
40 CHEMISTRY
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
DENITRIFICATION
HYDROGENATION
MOLYBDENUM CARBIDES
PYRIDINE