Inhibition effects of organosulphur compounds on the hydrodechlorination of tetrachloroethylene over Pd/Al2O3 catalysts

The hydrodechlorination of tetrachloroethylene in presence of thiophene over a commercial Pd/Al2O3 catalyst was studied in a continuous packed-bed reactor at different temperatures (200–300 °C) and thiophene concentrations (0–5 wt.%). Results indicate that thiophene reversibly decreases tetrachloroethylene conversion and increases the selectivity for trichloroethylene formation. The kinetics of the hydrodechlorination of tetrachloroethylene in the presence of thiophene to form trichloroethylene and ethane can be represented by a Langmuir–Hinshelwood model.