A potassium tert-butoxide and hydrosilane system for ultra-deep desulfurization of fuels

Anton A. Toutov, Mike Salata, Alexey Fedorov, Yun-Fang Yang, Yong Liang, Renan Cariou, Kerry N. Betz, Erik P. A. Couzijn, John W. Shabaker (), Kendall N. Houk () and Robert H. Grubbs ()
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Anton A. Toutov: California Institute of Technology
Mike Salata: BP Products North America
Alexey Fedorov: California Institute of Technology
Yun-Fang Yang: University of California
Yong Liang: State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University
Renan Cariou: BP Products North America
Kerry N. Betz: California Institute of Technology
Erik P. A. Couzijn: ETH Zürich
John W. Shabaker: BP Products North America
Kendall N. Houk: University of California
Robert H. Grubbs: California Institute of Technology

Nature Energy, 2017, vol. 2, issue 3, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is the process by which sulfur-containing impurities are removed from petroleum streams, typically using a heterogeneous, sulfided transition metal catalyst under high H2 pressures and temperatures. Although generally effective, a major obstacle that remains is the desulfurization of highly refractory sulfur-containing heterocycles, such as 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-Me2DBT), which are naturally occurring in fossil fuels. Homogeneous HDS strategies using well-defined molecular catalysts have been designed to target these recalcitrant S-heterocycles; however, the formation of stable transition metal sulfide complexes following C–S bond activation has largely prevented catalytic turnover. Here we show that a robust potassium (K) alkoxide (O)/hydrosilane (Si)-based (‘KOSi’) system efficiently desulfurizes refractory sulfur heterocycles. Subjecting sulfur-rich diesel (that is, [S] ∼ 10,000 ppm) to KOSi conditions results in a fuel with [S] ∼ 2 ppm, surpassing ambitious future governmental regulatory goals set for fuel sulfur content in all countries.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nenergy.2017.8

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