Journal of Catalysis, Vol.212, No.2, 201-206, 2002
HDN activities of methyl-substituted quinolines
The hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) reactivities of quinoline (Q) and several methyl-substituted quinolines (MQ) were determined over a NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst and a CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst using a fixed-bed reactor at 613 K and 3.1-MPa pressure. Compared to Q, HDN conversions were about the same when methyl groups were on the aromatic ring, but they were substantially lower for methyl groups on the N-ring, except for 2-MQ. The CoMo catalyst was somewhat more active than the NiMo catalyst. All MQs and Q rapidly reached equilibrium between the Q and the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ1) methyl analogs. It was found that total and HDN activities were roughly related to their respective equilibria, except for 2-MQ, in which the methyl group provides a positive influence. The intrinsic rates of hydrogenolysis of the THQ1s to o-propylamines were correlated with the electrostatic potential at the nitrogen atom in the respective THQ1 molecule, most likely related to the adsorptive affinity or reactive affinity on the active site.
Keywords:quinoline;methyl-substituted quinoline;hydrodenitrogenation (HDN);NiMo catalyst;CoMo catalyst;electrostatic potential