Synthesis of methanethiol from methanol over reduced molybdenum sulfide catalysts based on the Mo6S8 cluster

Abstract Catalysts having structures containing the Mo 6 S 8 cluster (crystalline Chevrel phases, amorphous ternary molybdenum sulfides, and ligated molecular clusters) have been discovered to be active for thiol synthesis from methanol and hydrogen sulfide at 250°C and 1 atm. An amorphous lanthanum molybdenum sulfide material was found to be the most selective catalyst (>80% methanethiol) at low conversions. CO 2 , CO, CS 2 , and CH 4 were the major by-products in these studies.