Preparation and characterization of molybdenum hexacarbonyl encapsulated in polystyrene and its application as an efficient and reusable catalyst for epoxidation of alkenes with tert-BuOOH

Molybdenum hexacarbonyl encapsulated in polystyrene, Mo(CO)6@PS, was prepared by suspension polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in the presence of Mo(CO)6. This catalyst was found as an efficient catalyst for epoxidation of a wide variety of alkenes, including aromatic and aliphatic terminal ones using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. This new heterogenized molybdenum carbonyl catalyst could be easily recovered by simple filtration and was reused ten consecutive times without loss of its catalytic activity.