Epoxidation of Some Olefins with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Heteropolyoxometalates

Abstract

Catalytic epoxidation of some olefins was carried out with 34% hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a variety of heteropolyoxometalates. Results have shown that dodeca-tungstophosphoric acid (H₃PW₁₂O₄₀) is the most successful polyoxometalate evaluated in terms of both olefin conversion and epoxide selectivity. Whereas, dodecamolybdophosphoric acid, H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ and other substituted heteropolyoxometalates have revealed low catalytic activity.