Hongying Lu

Oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene with molecular oxygen using emulsion catalysis

Dibenzothiophene (DBT) is oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone in an emulsion system (W/O) composed of polyoxometalate anion [C(18)H(37)N(CH(3))3](5)[PV(2)Mo(10)O(40)] as both the surfactant and catalyst, using molecular oxygen as the oxidant and aldehyde as the sacrificial agent under mild conditions.

Aerobic oxidative desulfurization of benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene using an Anderson-type catalyst [(C18H37)2N(CH3)2]5[IMo6O24]

Benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) are oxidized to their corresponding sulfones by an Anderson-type catalyst [(C18H37)2N(CH3)2]5IMo6O24 using molecular oxygen as the oxidant under mild reaction conditions. These refractory sulfur-containing compounds can be oxidized completely in the absence of any sacrificial agent. Solvents such as acetonitrile and water play a negative effect on the oxidative desulfurization system. The catalytic activities of the amphiphilic Anderson catalysts depend on the quaternary ammonium cations. The reactivity of the sulfur-containing compounds follows the order 4,6-DMDBT > DBT > BT.

A direct imaging of amphiphilic catalysts assembled at the interface of emulsion droplets using fluorescence microscopy

An amphiphilic fluorescent catalyst Q9[EuW10O36] (Q = [(C18H37)2N+ (CH3)2]), assembled in the interface of emulsion systems, was directly imaged by fluorescence microscopy; the catalyst shows high selectivity and activity in the oxidation of alcohols using H2O2 as oxidant and the catalyst can be easily separated and recycled by demulsifying.