Catalytic Activity of CoMo Sulfide Catalysts Supported on Natural and Synthetic Aluminosilicates in Hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene

CoMo sulfide catalysts supported on an MCM-41-type ordered mesoporous silica and on a hierarchical aluminosilicate material based on halloysite nanotubes (MCM-41@HNT) were synthesized by incipient wetness impregnation. Both the supports and related catalysts were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalyst samples were further tested in hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene. The MCM-41@HNT-supported catalyst exhibited the greatest activity in the main reaction (hydrodesulfurization) due to its hierarchical porous structure and the presence of high-temperature Brønsted acid sites.