Catalytic epoxidation of methyl linoleate

The epoxidation of methyl linoleate was examined using transition metal complexes as catalysts. With a catalytic amount of methyltrioxorhenium (4 mol%) and pyridine, methyl linoleate was completely epoxidized by aqueous H2O2 within 4 h. Longer reaction times (6 h) were needed with I mol% catalyst loading. Manganese tetraphenylporphyrin chloride was found to catalyze the partial epoxidation of methyl linoleate. A monoepoxidized species was obtained as the major product (63%) after 20 h.