Desulfurizing process for hydrogen sulfide-containing gases

A process for the desulfurization of hydrogen sulfide-containing gases comprising mixing (A) a hydrogen sulfide oxidizing catalyst having a standard oxidation-reduction potential, Eo, in a range of from about 0.45 to 0.7 volt, and selected from the group consisting of quinones and hydroquinones having present therein at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of sulfonic and carboxylic acid groups and alkali and alkaline earth metal salts thereof, thioglycol, thiol, hydroxyl, lower alkyl and lower alkoxy groups with (B) a precursor of a chelating agent which is selected from the group consisting of the reaction product of a metal selected from the group consisting of the metals of groups V, VI, VII and VIII in the fourth period of the Periodic Table, arsenic and selenium with an acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic, citric, tartaric and glutaric acids;

• aging the mixture of (A) and (B) for from about 10 minutes to about 12 hours and forming a naphthoquino chelate compound, forming an absorption medium comprising said chelate compound, contacting a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas with said absorption medium, and absorbing the hydrogen sulfide from said gas, contacting the absorption medium with an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen and oxygen-containing gas, and converting said hydrogen sulfide to sulfur while regenerating said naphtho-quino chelate compound, recirculating the regenerated naptho-quino chelate compound for further use and recovering a substantially hydrogen sulfide-free gas.