Calcium tungstate: a convenient recoverable catalyst for hydrogen peroxide oxidation

Abstract

Calcium tungstate was found to be an excellent catalyst for large scale “green” oxidations of organic substrates (amines, alkenes, alcohols, sulfides) with hydrogen peroxide. It displays the unusual dual characteristics of producing a soluble pertungstate species, allowing for homogeneous reaction conditions, but then precipitating, unchanged, at the end of the oxidation. These qualities allow for easy catalyst recovery and minimal waste stream generation for large scale application.