Gold Nanoparticles Stabilized by Task-Specific Oligomeric Ionic Liquid for Styrene Epoxidation Without Using VOCs as Solvent

An oligomer of ionic liquid containing imidazolium and disulfide groups, which is miscible with the ionic liquid of [Bmim]PF6, was synthesized and used to stabilize gold nanoparticles. As such, epoxidation of styrene could be catalyzed by the oligomeric ionic liquid-stabilized gold nanoparticles in the nonvolatile [Bmim]PF6 without using any VOC as solvent. Under optimum reaction conditions, a styrene conversion of 100% with the selectivity to styrene oxide of 90% was obtained.