NaY zeolite as host for the selective heterogeneous oxidation of silanes and olefins with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by methyltrioxorhenium

The methyltrioxorhenium(MTO)-catalyzed oxidation of silanes to silanols and the epoxidation of various olefins by aqueous 85% H(2)O(2) proceed in high yields and excellent product selectivities (no disiloxanes, diols) in the presence of the zeolite NaY. The oxidative species is located inside the 12-A supercages. This prevents the bimolecular condensation of the silanol to disiloxane by steric means and the Lewis-acid assisted hydrolysis of the epoxide to the diol.