CATALYTIC BEHAVIOR OF SELECTED TRANSITION-METAL CARBIDES, NITRIDES, AND BORIDES IN THE HYDRODENITROGENATION OF QUINOLINE

High surface area carbides and nitrides have been synthesized and tested for hydrodenitrogenation activity. Some of the novel materials, particularly Mo2C and Mo2N, provided hydrodenitrogenation activity of the same magnitude as commercial sulfided Ni-Mo/Al2O3. In the absence of sulfur in the feed, the refractory catalysts could achieve denitrogenation with less hydrogen consumption than the commercial sample. Sulfur addition was detrimental to the selectivity, but not the activity of Mo2C and Mo2N.