Patent ID: 8241490

Claim:
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising: contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant; contacting the oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter; removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed; wherein contacting with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter is at a temperature in the range from about 150° C. to about 350° C. and at a pressure in the range of from about 0 psig to about 2000 psig; and wherein the selectivity promoter is an organic alcohol, ROH, wherein R is a C1-C18 alkyl-, aryl-, alkenyl-, substituted alkyl-, or substituted aryl-group.