Epoxidation of Alkenes with O2 Catalyzed by EuCl3 under Ambient Conditions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1994.1717

EuCl3 dissolved in a mixture of propanoic acid and 1,2-dichloroethane catalyzed the epoxidation of 1-hexene (81.4percent selectivity, 5.34percent yield for 1h) with O2 in the presence of Zn powder at 40 deg C.The epoxidation was also catalyzed by LaCl3 (0.75percent yield) and SmCl3 (0.57percent yield), but CeCl3 (0.08percent yield) was inactive.Epoxidations of styrene and cyclohexene were also promoted by the EuCl3-catalytic system.