Functional ligand-modified UiO-66 supported phosphomolybdenum heteropolyacid: an efficient and stable catalyst for oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene

A set of phosphomolybdic acid catalysts was synthesized by employing ligand-functionalized UiO-66 as the support. The structural properties of these catalysts were characterized via XRD, FT-IR, BET, TEM, and XPS techniques. To explore the influence of catalyst structure on its catalytic performance, the desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) from simulated fuel was utilized as a model reaction. Under optimized reaction parameters, the Co-POM-UiO-66-NO 2 -F catalyst exhibited the highest DBT conversion efficiency, achieving 99.3%. After five consecutive desulfurization cycles, the catalyst retained a desulfurization activity of 91.8%. This excellent stability was attributed to the incorporation of the –F group, which enhanced the catalyst’s lipophilicity and hydrophobicity. Additionally, the incorporation of –F groups increased the content of the Mo active species (Mo 5+ ), regulated the electronic structure of the catalyst, and optimized the microenvironment surrounding the active centers, which collectively contributed to the enhanced catalytic performance. Graphic abstract The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.