Dichlorodioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes bearing oxygen-donor ligands as catalysts for oxidative desulfurization of simulated and real diesel

The complexes [MoO2Cl2(DMB)(2)] (1) and [MoO2Cl2(DEO)] (2) (DMB = N,N-dimethylbenzamide, DEO = N,N'-diethyloxamide) have been evaluated as catalysts in extractive-catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ECOD) of a simulated diesel fuel. Using the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM]PF6) as extraction solvent and H2O2 as oxidant, ultra-deep desulfurization (S-content from 3000 ppm to < 10 ppm) was possible within a reaction time of 1-3 h, and the systems Catalyst/[BMIM]PF6 could be recycled for five times without significant decrease in activity. The S-content of a real untreated diesel was lowered by 94.4% from 2300 ppm to 129 ppm after only 2 h of reaction using the ECOD process with 2 as catalyst.