Designing　efficient　adsorbents　for　the　deep　removal　of　refractory　dibenzothiophene　(DBT)　from　fuel　oil　is　vital　for　addressing　environmental　issues　such　as　acid　rain.　Herein,　zinc　gluconate　and　urea-derived　porous　carbons　SF-ZnNC-T　(T　represents　the　carbonization　temperature)　were　synthesized　without　solvents.　Through　a　temperature-controlled　process　of　“melting　the　zinc　gluconate　and　urea　mixture,　forming　H-bonded　polymers,　and　carbonizing　the　polymers,”　the　optimal　carbon,　SF-ZnNC-900,　was　obtained　with　a　large　surface　area　(2280　m2　g−1),　highly　dispersed　Zn　sites,　and　hierarchical　pore　structures.　Consequently,　SF-ZnNC-900　demonstrated　significantly　higher　DBT　adsorption　capacity　of　43.2　mg　S　g−1,　compared　to　just　4.3　mg　S　g−1　for　the　precursor.　It　also　demonstrated　good　reusability,　fast　adsorption　rate,　and　the　ability　for　ultra-deep　desulfurization.　The　superior　DBT　adsorption　performance　resulted　from　the　evaporation　of　residual　zinc　species,　which　generated　abundant　mesopores　that　facilitated　DBT　transformation,　as　well　as　the　formation　of　Zn-Nx　sites　that　strengthened　the　host-guest　interaction　(ΔE　=　−1.466　eV).　The　solvent-free　synthesized　highly　dispersed　Zn-doped　carbon　shows　great　potential　for　producing　sulfur-free　fuel　oil　and　for　designing　metal-loaded　carbon　adsorbents.　©　2024　Institute　of　Process　Engineering,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences