The promoting effect of an acidic support on the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT) was studied by comparing the activity and selectivity of Pt/HZSM-5 with those of Pt/gamma-Al2O3 and Pt/SBA-15. Pt/gamma-Al2O3 and Pt/SBA-15 hydrogenated DMDBT fast to the intermediate hexahydro-4,6-dimethyidibenzothiophene and removed sulfur from DMDBT somewhat slower, giving 3,3'-dimethylbiphenyl. The dodecahydro-4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene intermediate was not observed, indicating that it was very quickly desulfurized. The conversion of DMDBT over Pt/HZSM-5 was low, probably because of the high hydrocracking of the decane solvent and coking of the catalyst by the cracking products. Decreasing the bifunctional hydrocracking by lowering the temperature was not successful, because of a too low HDS activity. Poisoning of the acid sites by co-feeding pyridine suppressed the hydrocracking, but brought the HDS activity down to the level of Pt on a non-acidic support like SBA-15. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.