Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras

A Metallomicellar Catalyst for Sulfoxidation Reactions in Aqueous Medium and Desulfurization of Model Diesel under Aerobic Conditions

Categories for this Invention

Categories: Chemistry & Chemical Analysis

Industry: Catalyst Manufacturing

Application: Sulfoxide Synthesis, Diesel Desulfurization, Specialty Chemical, Petroleum Refining, Environmental Solutions, Green Chemistry, Catalyst Manufacturing,

Market: The global specialty chemicals market size was valued at US $641 Billion in 2021 and is predicted to reach US $883 Billion by 2028 with 7% CAGR from 2021-2028.

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Problem Statement

  • Current methods for sulfoxide synthesis and diesel desulfurization is challenging due to often production of harmful undesired by-products and incomplete sulfur removal.
  • Current process depend on hazardous reagent, posing environmental and human health safety risk.
  • Scaling up these processes faces hurdles in finding suitable catalyst & equipment.
  • Cost and Accessibility of materials limits the method adoption.
  • Hence, an inventive method for synthesizing surfactant-based metallomicellar catalysts for sulfoxidation reactions and oxidative desulfurization of model diesel under aerobic conditions.

Technology

The present patent disclosure provides a newly developed surfactant-based molybdenum catalyst [(C19H42N)[MoO(O2)2(C6H4NO3)] (Formula Mo1), for controlled and chemoselective oxidation of organic sulfides to their corresponding sulfoxides and sulfones.

The method for preparing cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) based oxomolybdenum Catalyst comprises following steps:

  • Dissolving molybdate salt in a water, maintain the acidic pH to obtain solution;
  • Adding hydrogen peroxide to the solution obtained in step I) to form solution A;
  • Adding picolinic acid N-oxide to an aqueous solution of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) hydroxide to obtain a solution B;
  • Adding a solution A into solution B followed by maintaining the acidic pH and temperature at 0 to 5 °C to obtain cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) based oxomolybdenum catalyst.

Key Features / Value Proposition

User Perspective:

  • The catalyst simplifies sulfoxide and sulfone synthesis, ensuring high efficiency in converting sulfides into valuable products.
  • The catalyst’s precise control over oxidation, minimizing unwanted by-products.
  • Operating in an aqueous medium under oxygen atmosphere, the catalyst eliminates complex conditions and enhances user safety.
  • Catalyst can be used as various substrates, including those with sensitive functional groups.

Industrial Perspective:

  • The catalyst’s scalable synthesis and compatibility with common substrates streamline production and reduce costs.
  • Offering a greener alternative to traditional methods, the catalyst aligns with sustainability goals and regulatory standards.
  • With high selectivity, the catalyst ensures consistent product quality, minimizing variations in industrial operations.
  • Compatible with existing processes, the catalyst seamlessly integrates into industrial settings.

Technical Perspective:

  • The catalyst’s unique composition enables efficient catalytic activity and selectivity, offering insights into structure-function relationships.
  • The precise synthesis method ensures reproducibility and scalability for industrial production.
  • Various analytical techniques provide insights into the catalyst’s structure and properties, aiding optimization.
  • Applied in oxidative desulfurization of model diesel, the catalyst addresses industrial challenges related to sulfur removal from fuels.

Questions about this Technology?

Contact For Licensing

sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in

Research Lab

Prof. Dillip Kumar Chand

Department of Chemistry

Intellectual Property

  • IITM IDF No.: 2452

  •  IP No.: 472900 (Granted)

Technology Readiness Level

TRL-3

Proof of Concept

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