A precipitation technique at constant pH value was used to prepare a series of alumina-aluminum borates (AABs) with various Al/B atomic ratios. These materials were used as the supports of Co-Mo catalysts. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of Kuwait atmospheric gas (AGO) oil was carried out over these presulfided catalysts in a bench-scale trickle bed reactor at 400 psi and 340-degrees-C. All CoMo/AAB catalysts are much more active than the conventional CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst on HDS reactions. A correlation exists between the acidity and the HDS activity of the catalysts. The high activities of the CoMo/AAB catalysts can be rationalized on the presence of boron. On one hand, it can increase the metal dispersions and hydrogenation capabilities. On the other hand, it can enhance the acidities and cracking abilities of the catalysts. The desulfurization data can be fitted with a pseudo-second-order rate equation. The activation energy for desulfurization is found to be 26 kcal/mol.
