Supported Ni2P catalysts are active for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of petroleum feedstocks and have attracted considerable attention. In order to find out the structure of the active catalyst and to obtain insight into the reaction mechanism of thiophene HDS over Ni2P/MCM-41, we conducted a simultaneous time-resolved (STR) study with in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy together with time-resolved product analysis. At 513 K. adsorbed tetrahydrothiophene (THT) was observed by RIR, following the formation of a nickel phosphosulfide phase (NiPS). Detection of the HDS products coincided with the THT formation. All these experimental data indicated that NiPS worked as the active phase and identified THT as a reaction intermediate for the HDS reaction. The STR study proved to be a powerful tool for the precise study of reaction intermediates and the catalytic reaction path. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.