The interaction of phenol, anisole, and guaiacol, representatives of oxygenate functions present in pyrolysis bio-oils, with oxides such as silica, alumina (pure or doped with K or F), and silica-alumina is investigated by infrared spectroscopy. While phenolic type compounds mainly interact via H-bonding with silica, chemisorption is their main mode of adsorption on alumina. Besides, guaiacol interacts very strongly by forming doubly anchored phenates instead of monoanchored ones with phenol and anisole. At temperatures typical of hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) operating conditions (∼673 K), the phenate type species cover 2/3 of the alumina surface. This study clearly indicates that substantial carbon deposition could take place on aluminasupported HDO catalysts. Hence, this suggests that silica-based supports should be considered as potential candidates to design HDO catalyst with better stability.

MoS 2 and Ni-promoted MoS 2 catalysts supported on γ-Al 2 O 3 , siliceous SBA-15, and Zr-and Ti-modified SBA-15 were explored for the simultaneous hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of o-propylaniline (OPA). In all cases, OPA reacted preferentially via initial hydrogenation, and DBT was converted through direct sulfur removal. HDN and HDS activities of MoS 2 catalysts are determined by the dispersion of the sulfide phase. Ni promotion increased its dispersion and activity for DBT HDS and also increased the rate of HDN via enhancing the rate of hydrogenation. On nonpromoted MoS 2 catalysts, HDS was strongly inhibited by NH 3 , and the addition of Ni dramatically reduced this inhibiting effect. The conclusion is that HDS is proportional to the concentration of Mo and Ni on the edges of sulfide particles. In contrast, the direct hydrodenitrogenation of OPA occurs only on accessible Mo cations and, hence, decreases with increasing Ni substitution. The nature of the support influences the dispersion of the nonpromoted catalysts as well as the decoration degree of Ni on the edges of the Ni−Mo−S phase. Furthermore, the acidity of the support influences the acidity of the supported sulfide phase, which may play an important role in HDN.

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Development of lung granulomata is a hallmark of infections caused by virulent mycobacteria, reflecting both protective host response that restricts infection spreading and inflammatory pathology. The role of host genetics in granuloma formation is not well defined. Earlier we have shown that mice of the I/St strain are extremely susceptible to Mycobacterium tuberculosis but resistant to M. avium infection, whereas B6 mice show a reversed pattern of susceptibility. Here, by directly comparing: (i) characteristics of susceptibility to two infections in vivo; (ii) architecture of lung granulomata assessed by immune staining; and (iii) expression of genes encoding regulatory factors of neutrophil influx in the lung tissue, we demonstrate that genetic susceptibility of the host largely determines the pattern of lung pathology. Necrotizing granuloma surrounded by hypoxic zones, as well as a massive neutrophil influx, develop in the lungs of M. avium-infected B6 mice and in the lungs of M. tuberculosis-infected I/St mice, but not in the lungs of corresponding genetically resistant counterparts. The mirror-type lung tissue responses to two virulent mycobacteria indicate that the level of genetic susceptibility of the host to a given mycobacterial species largely determines characteristics of pathology, and directly demonstrate the importance of host genetics in pathogenesis.

The chemical composition and structure of NiMo sulfides supported on γ‐Al2O3 and its properties for hydrogenation of polyaromatic compounds is explored. The presence of Ni favors the formation of disperse octahedrally coordinated Mo in the oxide precursors and facilitates its reduction during sulfidation. This decreases the particle size of MoS2 (measured by transmission electron microscopy) and increases the concentration of active sites up to a Ni/(Mo+Ni) atomic ratio of 0.33. At higher Ni loadings, the size of the MoS2 did not decrease further, although the concentration of adsorption sites and accessible Ni atoms decreased. This is attributed to the formation of NiSx clusters at the edges of MoS2. Nickel also interacts with the support, forming separated NiSx clusters, and is partially incorporated into the γ‐Al2O3, forming a Ni‐spinel. The hydrogenation of phenanthrene follows two pathways; by adding one or two H2 molecules, 9,10‐dihydrophenanthrene or 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydrophenanthrene are formed as primary products. Only symmetric hydrogenation, leading to 9,10‐dihydrophenanthrene, was observed on unpromoted MoS2/γ‐Al2O3. In contrast, symmetric and deep hydrogenation (leading to 9,10‐dihydrophenanthrene and 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydrophenanthrene, respectively) occur with similar selectivity on Ni‐promoted MoS2/γ‐Al2O3. The rates of both pathways increase linearly with the concentration of Ni atoms in the catalyst. The higher rates for symmetric hydrogenation are attributed to increasing concentrations of reactive species at the surface, and deep hydrogenation is concluded to be catalyzed by Ni at the edge of MoS2 slabs.

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