Heterogeneous oxidative desulfurization catalysed by titanium grafted mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing tethered hydrophobic ionic liquid: A dual activation mechanism

Abstract In this study, heterogeneous catalysts containing ionic liquid and/or titanium have been prepared and used for oxidative desulfurization. For the synthesis of hybrid mesoporous silica nanoparticles (ILBF4-MSN), a grafting method has been employed with the ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-3-ium tetrafluoroborate (ILBF4) which contains a long alkyl chain. Titanium hybrid mesoporous silica nanoparticles (ILBF4-x%TiCp2-MSN) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing titanium (TiCp2-MSN) have also been prepared using titanocene dichloride. The catalyst containing ionic liquid and titanium, ILBF4-3%TiCp2-MSN exhibited the highest desulfurization efficiency (99.1%) in model oil with high concentration of DBT and using H2O2 as oxidant. In addition, the effect of immobilization of the ionic liquid on titanium materials has been investigated by solid-state 13C, 47/49Ti and 19F NMR spectroscopy and solid state electrochemical techniques. The titanium species and ionic liquid play an important role in the oxidative desulfurization reaction since they might activate synergistically sulfur derivatives and enhance the process.