Thiophene hydrogenation to tetrahydrothiophene over tungsten sulfide catalysts

Independent reactions of thiophene reduction to tetrahydrothiophene and thiophene hydrogenolysis to form hydrogen sulfide and C-4 hydrocarbons are shown to occur over supported tungsten sulfide catalysts and unsupported tungsten sulfide at an elevated temperature and a high pressure. The highest rate of tetrahydrothiophene formation over the supported catalysts is observed when alumina was used as a support, and the lowest reaction rate is found when silica gel was used as a support. Both catalysts are less active than unsupported tungsten disulfide. The rate of thiophene hydrogenation over tungsten disulfide increases with increasing thiophene concentration and hydrogen pressure and is inhibited by tetrahydrothiophene. The selectivity to tetrahydrothiophene is constant (70-90%) in the whole range up to high thiophene conversions. The high selectivity over tungsten sulfide catalysts is suggested to be due to the reaction pathway through thiophene protonation mediated with the surface SH groups and to the inhibition of hydrogenolysis.