Epoxidation of cycloolefins with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of heteropoly acids combined with phase transfer catalyst

Oxidation of cycloolefins (cyclohexene, cyclooctene, and cyclododecene) with a 30% solution of hydrogen peroxide at 65 °C in the presence of heteropoly acids (HPA) H₃PW_12–xMo_xO₄₀ (x = 0—12), which are precursors of active peroxo complexes, and phase transfer catalysts Q⁺Cl^–, where Q⁺ is the quaternary ammonium cation containing C₄—C₁₈ alkyl groups or [C₅H₅NC₁₆H₃₃]⁺, was studied. The catalytic activity decreases in the HPA series: H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ > H₃PW₉Mo₃O₄₀ > H₃PW₆Mo₆O₄₀ > H₃PW₃Mo₉O₄₀ > H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀. The state of the H₃PW₁₂O₄₀—I₂I₂ system was studied using UV, IR, and ³¹P NMR spectroscopies with variation of the [H₂O₂] : [HPA] ratio from 2 to 200 during cyclohexene epoxidation. Despite different catalytic precursors, the reaction proceeds through the same peroxo complex.