Patent ID: 8394261

Claim:
A sulfoxidation method comprising: providing a hydrocarbon stream including at least one sulfur compound; providing an oxidant; providing a catalyst comprising a metal compound represented by the general formula M m O m (OR) n , wherein M is a metal complex; R is carbon group having at least 3 carbon atoms, where at each occurrence R is individually a substituted alkyl group containing at least one OH group, a substituted cycloalkyl group containing at least one OH group, a substituted cycloalkylalkyl group containing at least one OH group, a substituted heterocyclyl group containing at least one OH group, or a heterocyclylalkyl containing at least one OH group; and the subscripts m and n are each independently integers between about 1 and about 8; and contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the oxidant in the presence of the catalyst, resulting in the oxidation of the at least one sulfur compound.