| Abstract: | The epoxidation of styrene to styrene oxide at higher than 96% yield has been achieved by the catalysis by poly-(vinylbenzyl)acetylacetonate complexes of cobalt(II) or manganese(II) in the presence of isobutyraldehyde under an atmospheric pressure of molecular oxygen at room temperature. The kind of aldehyde and aldehyde/styrene molar ratio greatly influenced the reaction. The catalyst could be recycled, but after recycling for five times, the yield of styrene oxide decreased from 96.0% to 84.6%. |
