Conversion of synthesis gas into alcohols on supported cobalt-molybdenum sulfide catalysts promoted with potassium

The use of transition metal sulfides as catalysts for the synthesis of alcohols can solve the problem of catalyst resistance to sulfur. Catalysts based on molybdenum sulfide of different compositions (promoted with Co and K) were synthesized with the use of various supports (aluminum oxide, aluminum oxide modified with silicon oxide, Sibunit, and titanium silicate) and tested in the reactions of alcohol synthesis and the hydrofining of a mixture of thiophene with n-1-hexene. The dependence of catalyst activity in the synthesis of alcohols on support pore size was demonstrated. It was found that an increase in the potassium content of the active phase of a catalyst increased its activity in the synthesis of alcohols and decreased it in hydrodesulfurization and hydrogenation reactions. Transmission electron microscopy data made it possible to quantitatively evaluate the effect of a potassium additive on the morphology of the active phase; the hypothesis that potassium was intercalated between the layers of molybdenum sulfide was proposed.