Selective oxidation of sulfurs and oxidation desulfurization of model oil by 12-tungstophosphoric acid on cobalt-ferrite nanoparticles as magnetically recoverable catalyst

Silica-coated CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were prepared and used as a support for the immobilization of 12-tungstophosphoric acid, to produce a new magnetically separable catalyst. This catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction, wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, laser par-ticle size analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The catalyst showed high activity in the selective oxidation of thioethers and thiophenes to the corresponding sulfones under mild condi-tions. The catalytic activity of the nanocatalyst in the oxidative desulfurization of model oil was investigated. The effect of nitrogen-containing compounds on sulfur removal from the model oil was also evaluated. The catalyst showed high activity in the oxidative desulfurization of diesel. The cata-lyst can be readily isolated from the oxidation system using an external magnet and no obvious loss of activity was observed when the catalyst was reused in four consecutive runs.