Epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones using hydrogen peroxide in the presence of basic hydrotalcite catalysts

The basic layered hydrotalcites have been used as catalysts for the epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in heterogeneous reaction media using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. A wide variety of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones were oxidized to the corresponding epoxyketones in excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. For example, 2-cyclohexen-1-one gave 2,3-epoxycyclohexanone in 91% yield at 40 degrees C for 5 h with high efficiency in hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic activity of the hydrotalcites increased as the basicity of their surfaces increased. In the case of the epoxidation of less reactive substrates, adding a cationic surfactant such as n-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTMAB) to the above oxidation system accelerated the epoxidation reaction. These hydrotalcite catalysts were easily separated from the reaction mixture and were reusable.