Efficient concurrent removal of sulfur and nitrogen contents from complex oil mixtures by using polyoxometalate-based composite materials

The increasingly stringent regulations in relation to the environmental impact of employed industrial processes make compulsory the development of alternative routes towards the reduction of sulfur and nitrogen contents in large scale chemical mixtures. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time the highly efficient application of polyoxometalate (POMs)/layered double hydroxide (LDHs) composites in deep desulfurization (1000 ppm) and denitrogenation (100 ppm) of a complex model oil system under mild conditions (65 degrees C), with a corresponding decrease of the content to less than 10 and 1 ppm, respectively. The high efficiency of the heterogeneous catalyst along with the high stability and easy recovery of the catalytic system renders them promising candidates for greener catalytic applications.