Catalytic epoxidations with peroxides: molybdenum trioxide species as the origin of allylic byproducts

Molybdenum(VI)peroxide species, formed in the reaction of Mo(VI) complexes with peroxides, are able to epoxidize >C=C< double bonds heterolytically. In this study, theoretical and experimental evidence is provided for a kinetically competing reaction reaction of such molybdenum(VI)peroxide species with additional peroxide reagent, leading to molybdenum(VI)trioxide species, which easily decompose into radicals. Under epoxidation conditions, those radicals will reduce the selectivity, due to the formation of allylic byproducts. The involved reaction pathways are characterized by DFT calculations, providing kinetic parameters that are in good agreement with the experimental observations.