Kinetic study of the phase-transfer catalytic epoxidation of 1,4-bis(allyloxy)butane

The epoxidation of 1,4-bis(allyloxy)butane (DiBan) with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant in the presence of o-phosphoric acid and sodium tungstate as an epoxidation catalyst was carried out in an organic solvent/aqueous solution two-phase medium. A few different phase-transfer catalysts were used in the process. The effect of the stirring speed, nature of solvent, the type of PT catalyst and molar ratio of H(2)O(2):DiBan, DiBan:Na(2)WO(4):H(3)PO(4) on the DiBan conversion as the function of time was studied. Based on the experimental results, a pseudo-first-order expression for the reaction rate was applied and most efficient conditions epoxidation were developed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.