Desulfurization of gasoline by extraction with N-alkyl-pyridinium-based ionic liquids

Six N-alkyl-pyridinium-based ionic liquids, N-butyl-pyridinium nitrate ([BPy]NO3), N-ethyl-pyridinium nitrate ([EPy]NO3), N-butyl-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([BPy]BF4), N-ethyl-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([EPy]BF4), N-ethyl-pyridinium acetate ([EPy]Ac), and N-butyl-pyridinium acetate ([BPy]Ac), were prepared and tested in the extraction desulfurization of gasoline. It is found that [BPy]BF4 has the best effect on the selective removal of sulfur-containing compounds from gasoline at room temperature among these ionic liquids. The extraction rate of [BPy]BF4 is 45.5%. The desulfurization effect of [EPy]BF is the lowest. The used ionic liquids can be regenerated by rotary evaporation or re-extraction using tetrachloro-methane.