Catalytic homogeneous oxidation of monoterpenes and cyclooctene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of sandwich-type tungstophosphates [M4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]n−, M = CoII, MnII and FeIII

•Sandwich-type B‐α‐[M4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]n− (M = CoII, MnII, FeIII) polyoxometalates.•Oxidation of limonene, geraniol, linalool, carveol, and cyclooctene.•Oxidation with 30% (w/w) aqueous hydrogen peroxide, in acetonitrile.•The main/unique oxidation pathway for terpenoids and cyclooctene is epoxidation.

Catalytic efficiency of tetrabutylammonium salts of sandwich tungstophosphates B‐α‐[M4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]n−, M = CoII, MnII, FeIII, was studied in the oxidation of (R)-(+)-limonene, geraniol, linalool, linalyl acetate, carveol, and cis-cyclooctene with hydrogen peroxide, in acetonitrile. Oxidation of (R)-(+)-limonene gave limonene-1,2-diol as main product. Epoxidation of linalool takes place preferentially at the more substituted 6,7-double bond, the corresponding 6,7-epoxide reacting further, yielding furano- and pyrano-oxides, via intramolecular cyclization. Oxidation of linalyl acetate occurred preferentially at the more substituted 6,7-double bond for Mn4(PW9)2, affording 6,7-epoxide at 82% selectivity. Linalyl acetate 1,2-epoxide was the major product with 51% and 77% selectivity for Co4(PW9)2 and Fe4(PW9)2, respectively. Oxidation of carveol occurred with very good conversions in the presence of Mn4(PW9)2, Co4(PW9)2 and Fe4(PW9)2, yielding carvone and carveol 1,2-epoxide in similar amounts. Oxidation of cis-cyclooctene gave only the epoxide, while oxidation of geraniol at room temperature afforded 2,3-epoxygeraniol as the major product.

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