Oxidative Desulfurization of Aromatic Sulfur Compounds over Titanosilicates

The application of several titanosilicates to the oxidation of aromatic sulfur compounds such as thiophene, benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene, and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene with H2O2 under mild conditions is reported. Superior to other titanosilicates, Ti-MWW demonstrates a higher activity for the oxidation of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene owing to the unique pore structure of the MWW topology. The effects of solvent, temperature, catalyst amount, and H2O2/S ratio on the oxidation of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene over this catalyst are studied in detail. The catalyst is also applied to the oxidative desulfurization of commercial diesel. The sulfur compounds in the commercial diesel were oxidized to the corresponding sulfones, which could be readily extracted by acetonitrile, resulting in a maximum sulfur removal of 88%.