GEL PERMEATION CHROMATOGRAPHY OF SULFUR CONTAINING AROMATICS IN VACUUM RESIDUES

Abstract

Millions of tons of vacuum residues are produced annually in oil refineries. Further processing of these residues is hampered by the high percentage of sulfur. Hydrodesulfurization of the aromatic sulfur compounds is inefficient and structural information is therefore sought for the recalcitrant compounds. Ligand exchange chromatography was used to separate sulfur aromatic compounds from aromatic hydrocarbons. Due to the complexity of the samples, additional simplifications are necessary. Here, gel permeation chromatography is tested with different eluents. Fractions were collected and investigated using MALDI-TOF-mass spectrometry. Despite narrow cuts, a very wide range of molar masses is found in each case. The total molar mass range indicated is from ca. 270 to well over 1100.

Keywords:

• gel permeation chromatography
• hydrodesulfurization
• polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles
• vacuum residue

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Stephane Kressmann and François Xavier, Institut Français du Pétrole, Vernaison, France, for preparing and donating the aromatic fractions of the residue samples and for performing initial investigations. They also acknowledge Herman Rabeneck of the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry for recording the MALDI-TOF-MS data and Thomas Schade for his share in the synthesis of C₃₇H₅₄S.