Preparation of Ni 2 P/Al 2 O 3 by temperature-programmed reduction of a phosphate precursor with a low P/Ni ratio

Ni 2 P that was highly active in the hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene was obtained by reduction of a phosphate precursor with a P/Ni molar ratio as low as 1.2 over cerium oxide-modified Al 2 O 3 (Ce–Al 2 O 3 ) and macromesoporous Al 2 O 3 (M-Al 2 O 3 ). 27 Al MAS NMR revealed that this is likely due to the low reactivity of pentahedrally coordinated Al 3+ (Al(P)) with phosphorus oxide. Because the major Al species in Ce–Al 2 O 3 and M-Al 2 O 3 is Al(P), less phosphorus is consumed by the Al 2 O 3 support upon calcination and thus more phosphorus is available for the formation of Ni 2 P during the reduction stage.