Epoxides produced by the oxidation of olefins with air or oxygen

US5969166A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Bernd Scharbert · Frankfurt, DE
• Gerhard Lobmaier · Gersthofen, DE
• Wolfgang Anton Herrmann · Freising, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 12, 1997
• Grant date: Oct 19, 1999
• Expiry date: Sep 12, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01J2531/821
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Catalysts for the selective epoxidization of olefins with atmospheric oxygen, processes for their preparation and processes for the preparation of epoxides by oxidation of olefins with air or oxygen. Compounds of the formula (1) as catalysts for the selective epoxidization of alkenes EQU M.sub.x O.sub.y (L).sub.z (1) in which PA1 the indices x, y and z have the following meaning: PA2 x is a whole number from 1 to 3, y is a whole number from 1 to 2x+1, y being selected so that the sum of x+z gives a metal oxidation number of +5 (vanadium) or +6 (molybdenum, ruthenium); z is a whole number in the range from 2 to 2x; PA2 M is molybdenum, ruthenium or vanadium and PA2 L is an N, 0 or S donor ligand. Heterogeneous catalysts for the selective oxidation of olefins in the presence of oxygen, comprising an inorganic or organic support material and compounds of the formula (1), and a process for the selective epoxidization of alkenes of the formula ##STR1## with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of a catalyst of the formula (1) are also described.