[en] A novel H_2S sorbent based on SnO_2 and Y_2O_3 is developed by a co-precipitation method for steam regenerative removal of H_2S from hot syngas at moderate temperatures (400–500 °C). SnO_2-Y_2O_3 sorbent is stable in a reducing atmosphere (i.e. 500 °C, 50% H_2) and achieves a 99.9% H_2S removal during successive desulfurization and regeneration cycles. The addition of yttrium to SnO_2 decreases the reduction property of SnO_2 and no metallic Sn exists in the reducing atmosphere due to the formation of a pyrochlore-type compound, Y_2Sn_2O_7. The SnO_2-Y_2O_3 sorbent has a desulfurization performance deterioration with the increasing calcination temperature. The newly developed SnO_2-Y_2O_3 sorbent can be regenerated by steam at 500 °C. In the eight successive desulfurization and regeneration cycles, SnO_2-Y_2O_3 sorbent has a cyclic breakthrough sulfur capacity of 9 mg/g without significant sulfur capacity loss. - Highlights: • Reversible warm gas H_2S clean up. • Suppressing SnO_2 reduction by formation of Sn_2Y_2O_7. • Sn2Y-700 steam regeneration and cycling characterization.