Immobilized molybdenum-Schiff base complex on the surface of multi-wall carbon nanotubes as a new heterogeneous epoxidation catalyst

We report a new well dispersed molybdenum-Schiff base complex covalently attached to the surface of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET) analysis of the prepared hybrid nanomaterial revealed that the textural characteristics of the support were preserved during the grafting experiments despite sequential reduction in surface area and pore volume. The prepared nanomaterial showed good performance and stability in the catalytic epoxidation of olefins with tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) and cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) under mild reaction conditions. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.