The aim of the present study is concerned about the synthesis and characterization of nanostructures of α-MoO 3 and MoS 2 , and their use as catalysts in the hydrodesulfuriztion (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The synthesis of α-MoO 3 was performed following the method reported by Wen Lou [1]. First, a saturated solution of ammonium heptamolybdate was prepared and acidified

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... using a solution 2.2 M of HNO 3 to a final pH of 5, and then kept hermetically sealed by 30 days or more. In order to obtain nanostructures, 5-10 mL of the aged solution were mixed with 0-15 mL of ionized water and further acidified with 5-10 mL of nitric acid solution. The resultant solution was transferred to a Teflon-lined stainless steel autoclave and heated at 140-200 °C for 5-65 h. The material obtained was dried at 60 °C for 5 h and then sulfided under a flow of H 2 S/H 2 at 500 °C for 5 h in a tubular furnace, similarly to the procedure used by Q. Li [2]. The catalytic activity was evaluated in the HDS of DBT, showing a good performance (a reaction rate coefficient of 3.4 x10 -7 mol L -1 s -1 and a DBT conversion of 20.04 % in 5 h). Figure 1 shows rods and belts of α-MoO 3. Furthermore, bright and dark field images of α-MoO 3 were also taken, Figs. 2a and 2c. In addition, Figs. 2b and 2d show amplified zones of these nanostructures, while Fig. 2e presents an electron diffraction pattern of a α-MoO 3 nanobelt, exhibiting the growing direction [200]. Finally, dark and bright field images were taken by STEM and are shown in Fig. 3 The average diameter of the nanostructures is about 300 nm. Acknowledgements The authors greatly appreciate the valuable technical attendance of W. Antúnez, E. Torres, and C. Ornelas, and the financial support from CONACYT through project No. 40118-Y.