Chemistry Letters, Vol.33, No.9, 1140-1141, 2004
Simple metal oxides as efficient heterogeneous catalysts for epoxidation of alkenes by molecular oxygen
Magnetite iron oxide (Fe3O4) has been found to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the epoxidation of alkenes by molecular oxygen in the absence of a sacrificial reductant among various transition metal oxides. The reaction probably proceeds via a radical mechanism.