Patent ID: 8871951

Claim:
A process for converting organosulfur compounds in a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock to oxidation products sulfoxides and/or sulfones of the organosulfur compounds, including in-situ production of oxidant, the process comprising: a. providing an electrochemical reactor in which both in-situ production of oxidant and oxidative conversion of organosulfur compounds occur, the reactor including a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable cathode, and an anode within an electrolyte compartment, the cathode and the anode electrically coupled to an electrical power source and spaced apart from one another; b. conveying a gaseous source of oxygen to an outer surface of the gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable cathode to form oxygen ions; c. conveying acidic electrolyte and the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock into the electrolyte compartment, wherein hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide ions are electrosynthesized by reaction of oxygen ions generated at the cathode and hydrogen cations from the acidic electrolyte; d. oxidizing organosulfur compounds in the hydrocarbon feedstock with hydrogen peroxide formed in step (c) to produce oxidation products sulfoxides and/or sulfones of the organosulfur compounds; and e. removing a mixture of electrolyte and hydrocarbons including oxidation products from the electrolyte compartment.