The development of efficient catalysts for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) processes is an essential and urgent research field. During oil refinement the removal of sulfur and nitrogen compounds from petroleum feedstock is crucial, as the emission of sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere causes severe environmental problems. In light of the industrial process for hydrocarbons, HDS is indispensable as it eliminates the poisoning of catalysts during hydrotreatment and hydrocracking. In order to develop new catalysts, the mechanism of these reactions as well as the structures and functions of the catalysts need to be elucidated. This book provides an up-to-date and deep insight, which spans kinetic studies, catalytic cycles, structures and properties of catalysts to process engineering. Therefore every chemist and engineer working in this important research field will welcome this valuable source of information.

The high-pressure liquid-phase flow microreactor is a unique reactor for obtaining quantitative kinetic data for catalytic hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation. The hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene involves formation of biphenyl as a primary reaction product without hydrogenation of the aromatic rings. The catalytic hydrodenitrogenation of quinoline involves rapid hydrogenation of the nitrogen-containing ring followed by cracking of the ring to produce an aniline which is slowly hydrodenitrogenated. The hydrodenitrogenation reactions follow first-order kinetics. The order of activity of five commercial hydrotreating catalysts for quinoline hydrodenitrogenation is (Ni--Mo/Al2O3)> (Ni--W/Al2O3)> (Ni--W/Al2O3--SiO2)> (Co--Mo/Al2O3).