Desulfurization from model of gasoline by extraction with synthesized [BF 4] --and [PF 6] --based ionic liquids

Abstract

The authors report that 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [OMIM][BF 4], and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, [BMIM][PF 6], ionic liquids were synthesized and tested for their capability to desulfurization from model of gasoline. The results show that the aromatic sulfur compounds with higher π-electron density were favorably adsorbed. The results also show that [BF 4] --based ionic liquid displays higher extraction efficiencies than [PF 6] --based ionic liquid. Thus, it was shown that the extractive ability of the imidazolium ionic liquids was dominated by the structure of cation and anion. It is also found that the sizes of ionic liquids are important factors affecting the absorption capacity for aromatic sulfur compounds. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.