NMR Analysis of Sulfur Compounds in Petroleum

• Main Author: Wu, Kanning
• Format: Others
• Published: TopSCHOLAR® 1992
• Subjects: Chemistry; Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/3004; https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4013&context=theses

The speciation and quantification of organic sulfur forms in fossil fuel is an area of research. This thesis describes an NMR method which offers potential for identifying and possibly quantifying both nonvolatile and volatile sulfur forms in fossil fuels. The method is based on the methylation of sulfur compounds to form methyl sulfonium salts: RSR + Ch3I --> (R2S+-Ch3)I~ We propose to apply this chemistry to the analysis of sulfur functions in fossil fuels. The sulfur functions are methylated using 13C-enriched methyl iodide. The products are then analyzed by 13C NMR spectroscopy to establish the chemical shifts of the added methyl carbons. The chemical shifts are then correlated against those of known sulfonium salts.