| abstract |
A method wherein a gas stream containing hydrogen, a carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide is first passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a porous alumina supported sulfided metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), tin (Sn), vanadium (Va) and mixtures thereof, optionally promoted by an alkali metal sulfide, to convert said hydrogen, carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide to methyl mercaptans, (primarily methanethiol (CH3SH)), and the gas stream containing the methyl mercaptans are passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported metal oxide or a bulk metal oxide in the presence of an oxidizing agent and for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptan to formaldehyde (CH2O), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). |