LAUSR

Abstract Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3 bimetallic catalyst was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and the physicochemical properties were obtained by a series of characterization methods. The active components are mainly MoS2 and Co-Mo-S existing on γ-Al2O3, the support. Meanwhile, the activity of catalyst in hydroconversion of four coal-related model compounds (CRMCs), dibenzyl ether, furan, thiophene and quinoline, was investigated. Hydroconversion products were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and the possible reaction pathways were proposed according to the GC/MS data. Oxygen was removed from dibenzyl ether via the direct cleavage of Calk-O bridge bond to produce benzylium cation followed by the combination with H− to generate toluene. The hydroconversion of furan can be realized by the direct cleavage of Car-O bond and direct hydrogenation, respectively. For thiophene, H+ directly transferred to sulfur atom, leading to the cleavage of Car-S bond to produce H2S and 1,3-butadiene, which abstracted active hydrogen to yield butane. Another indirect desulfurization pathway for thiophene is hydrogenating to form tetrahydrothiophene and C–S bond cracking to produce butane. Hydroconversion of quinoline started with either N-ring or benzene ring, and the first one was the main pathway.