CATALYTIC BEHAVIOR OF CARBON-SUPPORTED FEM (M=RU, PT) IN PYRIDINE HYDRODENITROGENATION

Carbon-supported one-component (Fe, Ru, Pt) and two-component (FeRu and FePt) catalysts were used for hydrodenitrogenation of pyridine (HDN) at 3.0 MPa and 573 K. The Fe catalyst was less active for pyridine conversion and less selective for the formation of n-pentane than the noble metal catalysts were. For the two-component catalysts, activity was closely related to that of the noble metal component, although the C-5 hydrocarbon distribution was intermediate between that for the single components. Photoelectron spectra of sulfided and used catalysts showed that iron and ruthenium monocomponent catalysts are sulfided to a large extent, but platinum preserves in part its metallic character, although the situation differs for the platinum-iron catalysts. The strong decrease in the Fe/C ratio and the significant increase in the Pt/C ratio in the two-component catalysts indicate that iron is redispersed during incorporation of platinum, the latter being deposited mainly at the outer surface.