Oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene catalyzed by peroxotungstate on functionalized MCM-41 materials using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant

Catalysts play an important role in oxidative desulfurization, a promising process for producing cleaner fossil fuels for transport. A highly efficient catalyst, Q(4)-(H2Se3W6)-W-IV, for the oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) was reported in 2011. To comprehensively evaluate this catalyst and better understand its recovery, two types of the catalyst were prepared by impregnating Q(4)-(H2Se3W6)-W-IV on MCM-41 and functionalized MCM-41 materials. In the oxidative desulfurization process catalyzed by these supported catalysts, the conversion of DBT reached 98.7%. The catalytic activities were excellent when Q(4)-(H2Se3W6)-W-IV was impregnated on functionalized MCM-41. The results showed that the supported catalysts had excellent reusability. In addition, a mechanism for the catalytic oxidative desulfurization was proposed. (C) 2015, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.