Hydrodesulfurization Studies with a Single-Layer Molybdenum Disulfide Catalyst

Alumina-supported single-layer MoS2 was prepared and its hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activity compared to an alumina-supported multilayer MoS2 catalyst. Single-layer crystallites were formed by exfoliation of lithium-intercalated 2H–MoS2 crystals and were deposited on γ-alumina at pH 10.5–11. The single-layer material is shown to be stable under reaction conditions and catalytic with similar activity and selectivity relative to the multilayer catalyst in the HDS of thiophene and tetrahydrothiophene.