Synthesis of Keggin-type lacunary 11-tungstophosphates encapsulated into mesoporous silica pillared in clay interlayer galleries and their catalytic performance in oxidative desulfurization

Abstract Keggin-type lacunary polyoxotungstates [PW 11 O 39 (H 2 O)] 7 − (PW 11 ) and metal-modified [PW 11 O 39 (H 2 O)M] 5 − (M = Ni 2 + or Co 2 + ) were incorporated into the mesoporous silica pillared clays (MSPC) by a hydrothermal sol–gel method. The resulting materials retain the layered structure of the clay precursor and possess a mesoporous structure. The catalytic performance of the materials was tested using oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene-containing model oil as a probe reaction. The results indicated that PW 11 -MSPC possess an excellent catalytic performance.