A novel titanosilicate with MWW structure: Catalytic properties in selective epoxidation of diallyl ether with hydrogen peroxide

The catalytic activity and selectivity of Ti-MWW in the epoxidation of diallyl ether (DAE) with hydrogen peroxide to allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) and diglycidyl ether (DGE) have been studied by a comparison with those of TS-1, and the issues concerning the consecutive reaction and the selective production of AGE have been considered. Ti-MWW catalyzed the DAE epoxidation in the presence of aprotic solvents such as acetonitrile or acetone, and produced only minor levels of solvolysis products. Ti-MWW proved to be a reusable catalyst standing up to the Ti leaching and maintaining the catalytic activity and the product selectivity in the reaction–regeneration cycles. Studies with different solvents, Ti contents, reaction times, temperature, and catalyst amounts confirmed that the DAE epoxidation was a typical consecutive reaction with AGE as an intermediate product and DGE as a secondary one. The reaction rate for AGE formation was much faster than that for DGE, making the selective production of AGE possible by controlling the reaction up to a DAE conversion level of ca. 30%.