Dioxomolybdenum(VI) and -Tungsten(VI) Amino Bisphenolates as Epoxidation Catalysts

Low-cost metallate salts Na₂MO₄·2H₂O (M = molybdenum, tungsten) react with a tridentate amine bisphenol bis(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methylbenzyl)methylamine (H₂ONO^tBu) under ambient conditions in acidic methanol solutions. The reactions lead to the formation of isostructural dioxo complexes [MO₂(ONO^tBu)(MeOH)]·MeOH in convenient yields. Spectral data as well as X-ray analyses reveal these complexes to be isostructural. Both compounds were tested as catalysts for epoxidation of olefins using cis-cyclooctene, cyclohexene, norbornene and styrene as substrates and tert-butyl hydroperoxide and hydrogen peroxide as oxidants. The molybdenum complex catalyses selectively the oxidation of cis-cyclooctene and norbornene to corresponding epoxides, whereas oxidation of cyclohexene and styrene lead low yields as the epoxidations were associated with the formation of other oxidation products. Corresponding tungsten complex shows lower activity for epoxidation of norbornene and practically no activity for other olefins. Both complexes can also catalyse the conversion of benzoin to benzil using dimethyl sulphoxide as an oxidant, while the molybdenum complex shows higher activity.