Alkyl mercaptans prodn. - by reacting hydrogen sulphide and olefins over a catalyst comprising an alumina carrier contg. nickel and tungsten oxides or sulphides

摘要

Alkyl mercaptans are prepd. by reacting H2S and an olefin at elevated temps. in the presence of a catalyst comprising an alumina carrier with 0.1-20 wt.% Ni as the oxide or sulphide and 1-40 wt.% W as the oxide or sulphide. Pref. catalysts contain 4-8 wt.% Ni and 13-25 wt.% W as the oxide or sulphides. The reaction is carried out e.g. at 250-350 degrees C with a contact time of 10-40 seconds, esp. 15-33 seconds, and a molar ratio H2S/olefin of >5, esp. 6-12. The reaction is pref. carried out with 2-12C olefins, esp. ethylene. The catalysts give high conversions of the olefin with high selectivity to the prodn. of the desired mercaptan. In an example, ethylene was contacted with H2S in a mol. ratio H2S/C2H4 cf. 9, using a catalyst of aluminium oxide contg. 6% Ni and 19% W as the oxides. A contact time of 20 sec. at 300 degrees C gave 91-93% conversion of C2H4 with a 95-96% selectivity to C2H5SH and 4-5% selectivity to (C2H5)2S.