Patent ID: 8663459

Claim:
A method for reducing the amount of sulfur-containing compounds in a liquid hydrocarbon feedstream having sulfur-containing compounds comprising: a. mixing, for a time that is sufficient to oxidize the sulfur-containing compounds to form sulfoxides and sulfones, the liquid hydrocarbon feedstream with a catalytic reaction mixture that includes a peroxide composition that is soluble in water or in a polar organic acid, at least one carboxylic acid, and a transition metal oxo-salt selected from the group consisting of (NH 4 ) 2 WO 4 , (NH 4 ) 6 W 12 O 40 .H 2 O, Na 2 WO 4 , Li 2 WO 4 , K 2 WO 4 , MgWO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 MoO 4 , (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 .4H 2 O, MnO and NaVO 3 , wherein said peroxide composition and said transition metal oxo-salt form a stable peroxide intermediate which oxidizes said sulfur-containing compounds to sulfoxides and sulfones; b. discontinuing the mixing when the amount of sulfur-containing compounds in the mixture have been oxidized to a predetermined level; c. allowing the mixture to separate into an upper hydrocarbon layer and a lower aqueous layer containing a major portion of the catalytic reaction mixture and oxidized sulfur-containing compounds; d. recovering the hydrocarbon layer; and e. treating the hydrocarbon layer to remove any oxidized sulfur-containing compounds carried over from the separation of step (c).