Efficient alkene epoxidation catalyzed by molybdenyl acetylacetonate supported on aminated UiO-66 metal - organic framework

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) containing Mo Schiff base complexes were prepared by post-synthesis method and applied as efficient catalysts in the epoxidation of alkenes with tert-BuOOH. In this manner, UiO-66-NH2 (UiO=University of Oslo) MOF was reacted with salicylaldehyde and thiophene-2-carbaldehyde to produce bidentate Schiff bases. Then, the Schiff base ligands were used for immobilization of molybdenyl acetylacetonate. These new catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis spectroscopic techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). These catalytic systems showed excellent activity in the epoxidation of alkenes such as cyclic and linear ones with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in 1,2-dichloroethane, and reused several times without any appreciable loss of their activity. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.