Kinetics of 2-methyl-2-pentene epoxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide

The reaction rate at the initial period during the epoxidation of 2-methyl-2-pentene with tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of Mo(CO)₆ as catalyst varies linearly in the range of lower concentrations of olefin, hydroperoxide and catalyst. The reaction is losing the first order character in the region of higher concentrations due to the inhibition with the reaction products. This finds the confirmations in a discrepancy between the concentration and the instantaneous (temporal) reaction order.