Heterogeneous oxidative desulfurization of diesel oil by hydrogen peroxide: Catalysis of an amphipathic hybrid material supported on SiO2

Here we described a catalytic system for oxidation of benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), or 4,6-dimethyl-dibenzothlophene (4,6-DMDBT) in model oil by catalysis using a hybrid material [Bmirn](3)PW12O40) supported on SiO2. The [Bmim](3)PW12O40 was synthesized by reacting H3PW12O40 with 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide. The experimental results demonstrated that the SiO2-supported catalyst with 20 wt.% [Bmim](3)PW12O40 exhibited a high catalytic activity, achieving the DBT, 4,6-DMDBT, and BT conversions of 100%, 100%, and 71.6% at 50 degrees C, atmospheric pressure, and H2O2/DBT molar ratio of 3.0 in 100 mm. The catalyst was recycled conveniently by filtration and reused for seven times without a significant decrease on the activity. The reused catalyst can recover the oxidation activity only by drying at 100 degrees C for 4 h. This extraction and catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ECODS) system can remove 98.2% sulfur-contenting compounds from the diesel oil with sulfur-containing of 445 mg/L. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.