Oxidative desulfurization of fuel oil

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an industrially advantageous oxidative desulfurization of fuel oil which can efficiently oxidize and remove hardly removable organic sulfur compounds contained in fuel oil, particularly benzothiophenes. SOLUTION: The oxidative desulfurization of fuel oil comprises treating a sulfur compound-containing fuel oil with an oxidizing agent in the presence of a promoter selected from (i) a transition metal catalyst, (ii) a phase transfer catalyst and (iii) a Bronsted acid. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI