Molybdenum(II) Diiodo-Tricarbonyl Complexes Containing Nitrogen Donor Ligands as Catalyst Precursors for the Epoxidation of Methyl Oleate

Abstract

The molybdenum(II) tricarbonyl complexes [Mo(CO)3I2L n ] (n = 1, L = 2,2′-bipyridine, 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine; n = 2, L = pyridine, 4-tert-butylpyridine) have been examined as catalyst precursors for the epoxidation of the biorenewable olefin methyl oleate with tert-butylhydroperoxide. In situ oxidative decarbonylation of the precursors gives highly active and selective molybdenum(VI) catalysts, which were identified as the one-dimensional molybdenum oxide/bipyridine polymer [MoO3(2,2′-bipyridine)], octanuclear [Mo8O24(4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine)4], and the pyridinium β-octamolybdates (LH)4[Mo8O26] for L = pyridine or 4-tert-butylpyridine.