Provided herein are processes for desulfurization of a hydrocarbon oil. The processes comprise providing a hydrocarbon oil comprising sulfur impurities and mixing the oil with a phase transfer agent and a source of hypochlorite ions to provide a mixture. The mixture separates into an aqueous hypochlorite phase and a non-polar oil phase. The hypochlorite phase may then be removed from the oil phase, and the oil phase centrifuged and separated from any precipitate, thereby providing a cleaned oil phase.