Manganese octahedral molecular sieve catalysts for selective styrene oxide ring opening

Manganese octahedral molecular sieve (OMS) catalysts prepared by different methods have been employed for terminal ring opening of epoxides. Conversions ranging from 14% to 80% were obtained depending on the properties of the OMS catalysts. The catalysts act as Lewis acids in the reaction to facilitate nucleophilic attack on styrene oxide. Doping with other transition metals such as V, W, and Mo may alter the Lewis acidity of the materials and hence, leads to significant enhancement in conversions (100%) and selectivities for the ring opening. Effects of different solvents and nucleophiles were also studied in the reaction. This process using OMS catalysts is environmentally friendly and the catalysts can be reused without loss of activity.