This work presents the results obtained in the development of Mo/gamma-Al2O3 catalysts and their evaluation in the oxidative desulfurization (OD) process of diesel fuel using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing reagent. The catalysts were prepared by equilibrium adsorption using several molybdenum precursors and aluminas with different acidity values. They were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The effect of the reaction time, reaction temperature, nature of solvent, concentration of solvent and hydrogen peroxide, content of molybdenum and phosphate in the catalysts were investigated. The results showed that the activity for sulfur elimination depends mainly on the presence of hepta- and octamolybdates species on the catalyst support and the use of a polar aprotic solvent. Likewise, the presence of phosphate markedly increases the sulfur elimination. In this way, it is possible to reduce sulfur level in diesel fuel from about 320 to less than 10 ppmw at 333 K and atmospheric pressure. Additionally, on the basis of the results obtained a mechanistic proposal for this reaction is described, as an oxidation mechanism by nucleophilic attack of the sulfur atom on peroxo species of hepta- and octamolybdates, but a mechanism involving the singlet oxygen presence can be discarded. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.