As a series of bimetallic nanocatalysts, molybdenum/vanadium oxides supported on the silica (MoO3/V2O5/MCM-41) were prepared by the impregnation. Their catalytic activity in the oxidation of dibenzothiophene was investigated using H2O2 as an oxidant. Textures and surface properties of the prepared catalysts were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, FESEM-EDX and N-2 adsorption/desorption techniques. The effects of main process variables including H2O2 /DBT molar ratio, catalyst dosage, reaction temperature and reaction time were analyzed by employing the response surface methodology (RSM). The effect of the MoO3/V2O5 loading on the catalytic performance of the catalysts was also investigated. The results indicated that the catalytic activity of the catalyst was increased by enhancing the MoO3/V2O5 content. Thus, the catalyst with high MoO3/V2O5 loading (20%MoO3/20% V2O5/60%MCM-41) indicated the highest catalytic activity and could convert 99.06% of dibenzothiophene under the optimum conditions. Mass and FT-IR analysis demonstrated that the major product of dibenzothiophene oxidation was its corresponding sulfone. The catalyst could be recycled five times without any considerable reduction in its catalytic activity. The kinetics of the reaction fitted the pseudo-first-order equation pretty well. Eventually, a reaction mechanism for the catalytic oxidation of DBT in the presence of MoO3N2O5/MCM-41 was proposed. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.