FeNi3@SiO2 nanoparticles: an efficient and selective heterogeneous catalyst for the epoxidation of olefins and the oxidation of sulfides in the presence of meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid at room temperature

In this article, FeNi3 nanoparticles were coated by silica and applied for green, inexpensive, selective and efficient epoxidation of alkenes as well as oxidation of sulfides to the corresponding sulfoxides. The oxidation was performed over FeNi3@SiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid as an oxygen source in dichloromethane at room temperature. High reaction conversion as well as oxidation product selectivity were obtained for both sulfoxide or epoxide compounds. The properties of the catalyst were studied by transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer instruments. The heterogeneous nanocatalyst was magnetically recovered and could be reused in at least five consecutive runs without noticeable reactivity loss.