Formation of persulphate from sodium sulphite and molecular oxygen catalysed by H5PV2Mo10O40--aerobic epoxidation and hydrolysis.

The H5PV2Mo10O40 polyoxometalate catalysed the electron transfer oxidation of sulphite to yield a sulphite radical, SO3˙(-) that upon addition of O2 yielded a peroxosulphate species efficient for the H5PV2Mo10O40 catalysed epoxidation of alkenes. The acidic polyoxometalate further catalysed hydrolysis of the epoxide to give vicinal diols in high yields.