Highlights: A triphasic La-Co-Mo sulfide HDS catalyst was successfully synthesized using solvothermal synthesis LaCoMoS2 showed enhanced activity over CoMoS2 catalysts. The LaCoMoS2 activity as improved with increasing La doping LaCoMoS2 showed less carbon than CoMoS2 after once catalytic cycle. The La doping of the CMoS2 catalyst led to improvement in the direct desulfurization pathway.