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

Hightlights
• Pd/C with low loading efficiently catalyzes olefins epoxidation at ambient conditions.
• Pd/C exhibits excellent stability and recyclability.
• The epoxidation reaction on Pd/C is via radical intermediate.

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, ~ 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.

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