Epoxidation of Propylene with O2 Catalyzed by EuCl3

Abstract

The formation of propylene oxide from propylene by direct oxidation with O2 has been studied with catalysts of rare earth chloride under different carboxylic acids and solvents, and the mechanism of this reaction has been discussed preliminarily. Significant PO-formation was only observed when catalyzed by EuCl3 and in the presence of zinc powder and carboxylic acids. In using carboxylic acids, propanoic acid is the best for the epoxidation of propylene. The yields of the epoxide became higher than those without solvents, but basic substance was not suitable as solvent. In the catalytic system of EuCl3, zinc powder and carboxylic acids, EuCl3 plays a role in transferring electron, zinc powder was the e- donor and carboxylic acids was the H+ donor. The mechanism was consistent with the result of the experiment.