A Nickel-Doped Dehydrobenzoannulene-Based Porous Organic Polymer for the Catalytic Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophenes and Benzothiophenes

The development of metalated porous organic polymers (POPs) is vital for producing recyclable heterogeneous catalytic systems that are useful for real-world applications. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and catalytic desulfurization properties of an olefin-linked POP containing Ni-doped dehydrobenzoannulene (DBA) units. We show that a Ni-DBA-TMT-POP can be used to remove sulfur from dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) and benzothiophenes (BTs) in the presence of Grignard reagents and phosphine ligands. The Ni-DBA-TMT-POP catalytic system exhibits great recyclability and respectable yields. This work highlights a rare example of utilizing a Ni-doped DBA-POP for the desulfurization of refractory sulfur compounds that are commonly found in sour crude oil.