Epoxidation of alkenes by Oxone™ using 2-alkyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium salts as catalysts in ionic liquids

A number of ionic liquids have been used as co-solvents for the N-alkyl-3,4-dihyroisoquinoliunium catalyzed epoxidation of alkenes. Water miscible ionic liquids gave systems with similar reactivities to the conventional acetonitrile based systems. Attempts to produce an aqueous/ionic liquid biphasic system that could be used to recycle the catalyst failed due to a lack of phase transfer between the aqueous and ionic liquid phases.

The use of 2-alkyl-3,4-dihyroisoquinoliunium salts as catalysts for the epoxidation of alkenes by Oxone™ was investigated in a variety of ionic liquids.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide