Recyclable Pd supported catalysts with low loading for efficient epoxidation of olefins at ambient conditions

Epoxides are a kind of useful synthetic intermediates. This work reports that activated carbon-supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/C) efficiently catalyzed cyclohexene epoxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen and isobutyraldehyde with 91.5% conversion, 95.6% selectivity to cyclohexene oxide, similar to 400 h(-1) activity and excellent stability for at least 5 catalytic runs. The epoxidation was examined on Pd catalysts supported on seven supports, and Pd/C exhibited superior catalytic performance possibly due to the inert support surface. The epoxidation reaction on Pd/C is via radical intermediate. Pd/C is also applicable to catalyze other olefins epoxidation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.