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Some features of epoxidation of cyclohexene catalyzed by oxoperoxometallates under phase-transfer conditions

Journal Article · · Journal of Catalysis; (USA)

The epoxidation of cyclohexene with hydrogen peroxide was investigated in the biphasic water-chlorobenzene system. It was observed that the autoxidation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexenyl-hydroperoxide is inhibited by the presence of the aqueous phase, but the inhibition caused by water is largely eliminated by the application of a phase-transfer catalyst (PTC). It was found that the yield of epoxide increased nearly linearly with increasing concentration of molybdenum (VI) catalyst. A pH of 3-4 was found to be optimal for epoxide formation; the epoxide yield decreased with increase of the H{sup +} ion concentration mainly due to the H{sup +} ion-catalyzed hydrolysis of the epoxide formed. A PTC excess inhibits the epoxidation. In the case of molybdenum (VI). However, for tungsten (VO) the activity sequence was PO{sub 4}{sup 3{minus}} > AsO{sub 4}{sup 3{minus}}. The view is advanced that the enormous differences between the reactivities of the investigated oxoperoxometallate complexes and their heteropoly derivatives are connected with differences in the dissymmetry of the {eta}{sup 2} diperoxo-ligands in these complexes, which otherwise have similar structures.

OSTI ID:
5598656
Journal Information:
Journal of Catalysis; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Catalysis; (USA) Vol. 127:1; ISSN 0021-9517; ISSN JCTLA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English