SULFUR-SPECIFIC MICROBIAL DESULFURIZATION OF STERICALLY HINDERED ANALOGS OF DIBENZOTHIOPHENE

Dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) bearing alkyl substitutions adjacent to the s ulfur atom, such as 4,6-diethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DEDBT), are refer red to as sterically hindered with regard to access to the sulfur moie ty. By using enrichment cultures with 4,6-DEDBT as the sole sulfur sou rce, bacterial isolates which selectively remove sulfur from stericall y hindered DBTs were obtained, The isolates were tentatively identifie d as Arthrobacter species, 1,6-DEDBT sulfone was shown to be an interm ediate in the 4,6-DEDBT desulfurization pathway, and 2-hydroxy-3,3'-di ethylbiphenyl (HDEBP) was identified as the sulfur-free end product.