Desulfurization process and novel bimetallic sorbent systems for same

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for removal of sulfur from a cracked-gasoline stream which comprises:

• (a) impregnating a particulate support which comprises zinc oxide and an inorganic or organic carrier with a bimetallic promotor formed from two or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, copper, zinc molybdenum, tungsten, silver, tin, antimony and vanadium;
• (b) drying the impregnated particulate of step (a);
• (c) calcining the dried particulate of step (b);
• and thereafter
• (d) reducing the valence of the bimetallic promoter in the resulting calcined particulate of step (c) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate composition wherein the valence of a substantial portion of the metals of said bimetallic promoter is zero such that the reduced valence bimetallic promotor containing composition will effect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with said reduced valence bimetallic promoter under desulfurization conditions.

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for the removal of sulfur from a cracked-gasoline stream which comprises:

• (a) incorporating a bimetallic promotor formed from two or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, tungsten, silver, tin, antimony and vanadium into a non-particulated support composition which comprises zinc oxide and an inorganic or organic carrier;
• (b) particulating the resulting bimetallic promotor-support composition of step (a);
• (c) drying the bimetallic promotor containing particulate step (b);
• (d) calcining the dried bimetallic promotor containing particulate of step (c);
• and thereafter
• (e) reducing the valence of the bimetallic promotor in the resulting calcined particulate of step (d) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate wherein the valence of a substantial portion of the metals of said bimetallic promotor is zero such that the reduced valence bimetallic promotor containing composition will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with said reduced valence bimetallic promotor under desulfurization conditions.