Synthesis of Keggin-type lacunary 11-tungstophosphates encapsulated into mesoporous silica pillared in clay interlayer galleries and their catalytic performance in oxidative desulfurization

•[PW11O39(H2O)]7 − encapsulated into mesoporous silica pillared in clay galleries.•[PW11O39(H2O)M]5 − encapsulated into mesoporous silica pillared in clay galleries.•Polyoxotungstates were dispersed uniformly in the samples.•The materials showed excellent catalytic performance and good reusability for ODS.

Keggin-type lacunary polyoxotungstates [PW11O39(H2O)]7 − (PW11) and metal-modified [PW11O39(H2O)M]5 − (M = Ni2 + or Co2 +) were incorporated into the mesoporous silica pillared clays (MSPC) by a hydrothermal sol–gel method. The resulting materials retain the layered structure of the clay precursor and possess a mesoporous structure. The catalytic performance of the materials was tested using oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene-containing model oil as a probe reaction. The results indicated that PW11-MSPC possess an excellent catalytic performance.

Graphical abstractKeggin-type lacunary 11-tungstophosphates encapsulated into the mesoporous silica pillared in clay interlayer galleries exhibit excellent catalytic performance in oxidative desulfurization.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide