Iron(III)-substituted polyoxotungstates immobilized on silica nanoparticles: Novel oxidative heterogeneous catalysts

► Iron(III)-substituted polyoxotungstates were immobilized on silica nanoparticles. ► The POM/SiO2 nanomaterials were obtained by a reverse micelle and sol-gel technique. ► The catalytic activity of POM/SiO2 nanomaterials was tested in geraniol oxidation. ► The best catalyst shows high conversion and good selectivity for 2,3-epoxygeraniol.