Resistance to poisoning by nitrogen compounds of NiMo/Al-MCM-41 hydrocracking catalysts

A series of MCM-41 of different compositions (silica/alumina ratios of 32, 49, 66 and infinite) was prepared and characterized by several techniques: XRD, N2 adsorption, NMR (MAS) of 27Al and 29Si and FTIR of adsorbed pyridine. NiMo catalysts were prepared by impregnation and tested for cumene hydrocracking in the presence and absence of quinoline. The comparison of the results obtained in both conditions indicates that these catalysts are resistant to the poisoning by basic nitrogen compounds. Therefore, these materials are highly interesting to the development of hydrocracking catalysts better suited to the processing of nitrogen-rich brazilian crudes.