HYDRODESULFURIZATION BY REDUCED MOLYBDENUM SULFIDES: ACTIVITY AND SELECTIVITY OF CHEVREL PHASE CATALYSTS.

Much of the current research involving hydrodesulfurization catalysis has been performed using catalysts which are prepared starting with Mo** plus **6 oxides supported on gamma -alumina. These Mo** plus **6 oxides become reduced and sulfided under catalytic reaction conditions. Despite extensive research efforts, the catalytic role of the various molybdenum species is still unclear. This paper reports results for a new group of reduced, ternary, molybdenum sulfide catalysts, referred to as 'Chevrel phases. ' The solid state chemistry of these catalysts may be carefully controlled to permit explicit relationships with catalytic activity to be established.