Chemistry Letters, Vol.32, No.10, 920-921, 2003
Tungstophosphoric acid-catalyzed oxidative desulfurization of light oil with hydrogen peroxide in a light oil/acetic acid biphasic system
Dibenzothiophenes were oxidized effectively with H2O2 in the presence of 12-tungstophosphoric acid in the tetradecane/ AcOH biphasic system to give their corresponding sulfones as the major products. The oxidation proceeded in the AcOH phase and most of the sulfones distributed there, resulting in the successive removal of the sulfur compounds from the tetradecane phase. This biphasic oxidation system can effectively reduce the sulfur content in light oil.