Highly efficient Co(II) porphyrin catalysts for the extractive oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene in fuel oils under mild conditions

Abstract

Co(II) porphyrins have been utilized as efficient and selective catalysts for the extractive oxidative desulfurization reaction on the refractory dibenzothiophene (DBT) in [Formula: see text]-dodecane (model middle distillate fuel oil). The acetonitrile was taken as extracting polar solvent and H2O2 was used as oxidant. The reaction optimization was done with respect to DBT:catalyst molar ratio; DBT:H2O2 molar ratio; extracting solvent: CH3CN/[Formula: see text]-dodecane volume ratio; reaction temperature and time. Under the optimized conditions, a maximum of [Formula: see text]98% DBT removal was achieved by using the meso-tetrakis(4[Formula: see text] methoxyphenyl)porphyrinatocobalt(II) as catalyst under mild conditions at 50[Formula: see text]C.