Method of improving selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon in aromatic fraction through catalyst pretreatment

A method for removing unsaturated hydrocarbons from aromatic hydrocarbons, which comprises the steps of:

• providing an aromatic hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having a bromine index of at least 30;
• and
• forming an aromatic hydrocarbon-containing product having a decreased bromine index compared to the feedstock by hydrogenating the aromatic hydrocarbon-containing feedstock in presence of a selective hydrogenation catalyst prepared using a method comprising the steps of:
• a) providing a calcined catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum;
• b) sulfiding the calcined catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum to give a sulfided catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum;
• c) carrying out an oxidation treatment of the sulfided catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum at a temperature exceeding 250° C. to give an oxidized catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum;
• and
• d) carrying out a reduction treatment of the oxidized catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum to give a reduced catalyst containing nickel and molybdenum.