Patent ID: 8894954

Claim:
A process for removing mercaptans from a gas stream gas stream, comprising the steps: a) providing a first mercaptan-comprising 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 b) contacting the mercaptan-comprising gas stream with an absorption medium comprising a substituted disulphide and a nitrogen-containing base to obtain a second mercaptan-depleted gas stream, wherein: the amount of the substituted disulphide used in the absorption medium is chosen on the basis of at least equimolarity to the amount of the mercaptan that is to be removed; and at least a catalytic amount of the nitrogen-containing base is present in the absorption medium; and 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.