Patent ID: 8894955

Claim:
A process for removing mercaptans from a gas stream, comprising the steps: a) providing a gas stream comprising at least: a mercaptan of the general formula: R 1 —SH, wherein R 1 is an alkyl group comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms and an acid component, wherein the acid component is present in the gas stream in an amount in the range of from 0 to 20% by volume of the gas stream and b) contacting the gas stream with an absorption medium to obtain a mercaptan-depleted gas stream, wherein the absorption medium comprises: a substituted disulphide, wherein the substituted disulphide is of the general formula: R 2 —SS—R 3 , wherein R 2 and R 3 are carbon comprising substituents of which the corresponding R 2 —SH and R 3 —SH thiols have a vapour pressure below the vapour pressure of any R 1 —SH thiol and at least one of R 2 and R 3 is an electron withdrawing group; and a base, wherein the base is present in the absorption medium in an amount that exceeds the stoichiometric mol ratio at which the base will react with the acid component in the gas stream by at least a catalytic amount.