Effect of potassium on the catalytic performance of Ni2Mo3N catalyst during hydrogenation of thiophene-containing benzene

•Promoted Ni2Mo3N catalyst by K improved the sulfur tolerance.•K used as an electronic donor caused an electron enrichment of the Ni phase.•Increasing reaction temperature is favorable to sulfur tolerance.

Ni2Mo3N catalysts with different amounts of potassium were prepared by an impregnation method, and their sulfur tolerance in benzene hydrogenation in the presence of different amounts of thiophene was investigated. The results showed that the lower potassium loading samples (≤ 0.07 wt.% K) improved the sulfur tolerance obviously due to the electronic modifier of potassium, giving rise to an electron enrichment of the Ni phase, decreasing the chances for the formation of Ni–S bonds. At the same time, increasing the reaction temperature resulted in better sulfur tolerance of the un-promoted and potassium-promoted catalysts.

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