Readily prepared heterogeneous molybdenum-based catalysts as highly recoverable, reusable and active catalysts for alkene epoxidation

Polymer-bound aliphatic amines were prepared readily from Merrifield resin and used as supports for immobilization of molybdenum hexacarbonyl. The high activity of these polymer-supported molybdenum catalysts has been demonstrated in epoxidation of various alkenes in the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP). These new heterogenized molybdenum epoxidation catalysts can be recovered and reused several times without significant loss of their activities.