In situ generation of dispersed MoS2 catalysts from oil-soluble Mo-based ionic liquids for highly effective biolipids hydrodeoxygenation

Dispersed metal sulfides are promising catalysts for the hydroconversion of biolipids to produce second-generation biodiesel. In this work, oil-soluble Mo-based ionic liquids (ILs) were innovatively utilized as the precursors for in situ generation of MoS2 catalysts for the hydroconversion of biolipids. Taking methyl palmitate as the model compound, the excellent activity of in situ generated MoS2 from ionic liquid Mo-based precursors was obtained. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) reached up to 1.6 × 102 h−1 for methyl palmitate conversion and 83 h−1 for hexadecane (C16) yield at 320 °C and 0.5 h (42% conversion) under solvent-dilute conditions. The structures of in situ generated MoS2 catalysts were characterized to provide explanations for the catalytic results. Based on the product distributions, the pathway of methyl palmitate hydroconversion was proposed, and the kinetics of methyl palmitate hydroconversion was analyzed in further detail. Applying the Mo-based ILs in the hydroconversion of methyl palmitate and palm oil under solvent-free condition also granted high conversions of feeds and selectivities of HDO products.