Xylyltrioxorhenium – the first arylrhenium(vii) oxide applicable as an olefin epoxidation catalyst

Abstract

The catalytic activity of (2,6-dimethylphenyl)trioxorhenium (XTO) for the epoxidation of cyclooctene is presented. Solutions of hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP) in THF or CH₂Cl₂ were applied as oxidizing agent–solvent mixtures. Cyclooctene oxide yields are higher with TBHP than with H₂O₂. Application of non-coordinating solvents as reaction media increases both yields and reaction rates. The possible active species is analyzed by ¹⁷O NMR and Raman spectroscopy.