Mo-MOF-based ionanofluids for highly efficient extraction coupled catalytic oxidative desulfurization

[Display omitted] •A novel type of ionanofluids were successfully constructed for ECODS.•Ionanofluids displays high selectivity and recyclability for desulfurization.•The synergistic effect between Mo-MOF and ionic liquids was verified. Ionanofluids as newly introduced types of nanofluids with promising potential for diverse applications are created through dispersing nanoparticles into ionic liquids. Ionanofluids capitalize on both the catalytic ability of nanoparticles and the rapid mass transfer along with the extraction performance of ionic liquids. Herein, a novel kind of ionanofluids (denoted Mo-INFs) was constructed by employing a Mo-MOF as the nanoparticle and an imidazole-based ionic liquid ([BDIM][NTF2]) as the base fluid. As the efficiency of Mo-INFs (97.9 %) surpassed the summarized efficiency of Mo-MOF and [BDIM][NTF2], a synergistic effect between the Mo-MOF moiety and the [BDIM][NTF2] moiety in Mo-INFs did exist. Under optimum reaction conditions, the Mo-INFs exhibited remarkable selectivity and recyclability in desulfurization. A possible desulfurization mechanism was proposed that aromatic sulfur compounds in the model oil phase were initially extracted into ionanofluids phase via C-H···π and π···π interactions and subsequently oxidized by peroxo species that formed in the presence of H2O2 and Mo-MOF.