Preparation of di-[EMIM]CoCl3 Ionic Liquid Catalyst and Coupling with Oxone for Desulfurization at Room Temperature

The intermediate di-[EMIM]Cl was synthesized from methyl imidazole and 1,4-dichlorobutane and then reacted with cobalt chloride at 105 °C to prepare a bi-[EMIM]CoCl3ionic liquid catalyst. The di-[EMIM]CoCl3catalyst coupled with oxone to remove sulfur-containing organics in octane. The di-[EMIM]CoCl3catalyst was characterized by HNMR, FTIR, TG, and SEM–EDS. The dibenzothiophene (DBT) was dissolved in octane to prepare a model oil with an initial sulfur content of 500 ppm. Six grams of the model oil was added. The results showed that the optimal dosages of di-[EMIM]CoCl3, oxone (20 wt%), and [BMIM]BF4extractant were 1 g, 2 g, and 2 g, respectively. At the optimum temperature of 45 °C, 100% of sulfur was removed after 40 min. After di-[EMIM]CoCl3was recycled five times, the sulfur removal percentage remained above 91%. The sulfur removal percentages for different sulfur-containing organics followed the order of dibenzothiophene (DBT) > benzothiophene (BT) > 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT). The oxidation product was determined to be DBTO2by GC–MS analysis, and the oxidation mechanism was discussed. The active oxygen atoms of oxone oxidized DBT to form DBTO, and then persulfate oxidized DBTO to DBTO2via an identical oxidation mechanism.Keywords:dicationic ionic liquids;cobalt chloride;oxone;desulfurization;catalytic oxidation