Abstract:　In　addition　to　traditional　metal　oxides,　N-containing　compound　would　become　efficient　catalyst　for　H2S　selective　oxidation.　TaON　and　Ta3N5,　taking　as　examples,　with　porous　structure　are　able　to　selectively　oxidize　H2S　into　sulfur.　TaON　exhibits　ca.　99%　H2S　conversion　and　ca.　89%　sulfur　selectivity　at　250 ,　while　Ta3N5　exhibits　near　complete　H2S　conversion　(~　100%)　and　86%　sulfur　selectivity　at　250 .　TaON　of　lower　N　content　shows　higher　sulfur　selectivity　(~　90–100%)　above　130 ,　compared　with　that　(~　86–95%)　over　Ta3N5.　Whereas,　Ta3N5　of　higher　N　content　demonstrates　higher　H2S　conversion　(~　30–40%)　below　160 ,　compared　with　that　(~　6–30%)　over　TaON.　Temperature　programmed　desorption　results　show　that　Ta3N5　owns　larger　amount　of　acid　sites　and　weaker　basic　sites　than　TaON.　Over　Ta3N5,　the　reactant　molecules　could　dissociatively　adsorb　on　acid　sites　more　frequently　and　could　be　easier　to　move　across　the　weaker　basic　sites,　thus　increasing　probability　for　reaction　at　low　temperature.　Manipulating　both　cations　and　anions　in　N-containing　compound　can　alter　surface　property　for　optimization　of　selective　H2S　oxidation.　Graphic　Abstract:　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2020,　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.