Desulfurization process
This invention is a method of purifying fuels containing organosulfur impurities. The fuel is oxidized with an organic hydroperoxide in the presence of an oxidation catalyst to form a sulfone product, followed by extraction of the sulfone product by solid-liquid or liquid-liquid extraction. The fuel is then contacted with a decomposition catalyst to remove the residual organic hydroperoxide from the fuel.
1 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . A process comprising:
(a) extracting organonitrogen impurities from a fuel containing organonitrogen and organosulfur impurities whereby the nitrogen content of fuel is reduced by at least 50 percent to produce a fuel having a reduced amount of organonitrogen impurities;
(b) isolating the fuel having a reduced amount of organonitrogen impurities;
(c) contacting the isolated fuel having a reduced amount of organonitrogen impurities with an organic hydroperoxide in the presence of a titanium-containing silicon oxide catalyst to form an oxidized fuel, wherein a substantial portion of the organosulfur impurities are converted into sulfones and a residual amount of organic hydroperoxide remains in the oxidized fuel;
(d) extracting the sulfones from the oxidized fuel by solid-liquid extraction using at least one sulfone adsorbent or liquid-liquid extraction using at least one polar solvent to form a fuel having a reduced amount of sulfones and a residual amount of organic hydroperoxide; and
(e) contacting the fuel from step (d) with a Group 4 to 11 transition metal-containing decomposition catalyst comprising a Group 4 to 11 transition metal and a support.
13 . The process of claim 12 wherein the organic hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.
14 . The process of claim 12 wherein the titanium-containing silicon oxide catalyst is titania-on-silica.
15 . The process of claim 12 wherein the sulfone adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of silicas, aluminas, and silica-aluminas.
16 . The process of claim 12 wherein the polar solvent is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 4 alcohol, a C 3 -C 8 ketone, water, and mixtures thereof.
17 . The process of claim 12 wherein the Group 4 to 11 transition metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, titanium, iron, and mixtures thereof and the support is selected from the group consisting of silicas, aluminas, silica-aluminas, and carbon.
18 . The process of claim 12 wherein the decomposition catalyst comprises chromium, silica, and optionally titanium.
19 . (canceled)
20 . (canceled)