| 主权项 |
1. 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 diffusion electrode as a cathode in communication with a catholyte compartment, and an anode within an anolyte compartment, the cathode and the anode electrically coupled to an electrical power source and spaced apart from one another, and the catholyte compartment and anolyte compartment in fluid isolation and ionic communication via an ion-conducting membrane; b. conveying a gaseous source of oxygen to an outer surface of the gas diffusion electrode to form oxygen ions; c. conveying acidic catholyte and the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock into the catholyte compartment, and conveying acidic anolyte into the anolyte compartment, wherein hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide ions are electrosynthesized by reaction of oxygen ions generated at the gas diffusion electrode and hydrogen cations from the acidic catholyte, d. oxidizing organosulfur compounds in the hydrocarbon feedstock with oxidant formed in step (c) to produce oxidation products sulfoxides and/or sulfones of the organosulfur compounds; and e. removing a mixture of catholyte and hydrocarbons including oxidation products from the catholyte compartment. |
