Hydrogen peroxide activation by fluorophilic polyoxotungstates for fast and selective oxygen transfer catalysis

Abstract

Fluorophilic polyoxotungstates perform the selective epoxidations of internal and terminal double bonds by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) activation in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), under mild temperature conditions. A hybrid synergy of supramolecular interactions, involving the inorganic cluster and the fluorinated solvent, is envisaged to boost H₂O₂ activation and the oxygen transfer mechanism. 1,2-Epoxides have been obtained with >99% selectivity and 98% yield at T = 40–70 °C.