High temperature regenerative H.sub.2 S sorbents

Efficient, regenerable sorbents for removal of H.sub.2 S from high temperature gas streams comprise porous, high surface area particles. A first class of sorbents comprise a thin film of binary oxides that form a eutectic at the temperature of the gas stream coated onto a porous, high surface area refractory support. The binary oxides are a mixture of a Group VB or VIB metal oxide with a Group IB, IIB or VIII metal oxide such as a film of V-Zn-O, V-Cu-O, Cu-Mo-O, Zn-Mo-O or Fe-Mo-O coated on an alumina support. A second class of sorbents consist of particles of unsupported mixed oxides in the form of highly dispersed solid solutions of solid compounds characterized by small crystallite size, high porosity and relatively high surface area. The mixed oxide sorbents contain one Group IB, IIB or VIIB metal oxide such as copper, zinc or manganese and one or more oxides of Groups IIIA, VIB or VII such as aluminum, iron or molybdenum. The presence of iron or aluminum maintains the Group IB, IIB or VIIB metal in its oxidized state. Presence of molybdenum results in eutectic formation at sulfidation temperature and improves the efficiency of the sorbent.