Epoxidation of alkenes with hydrogen peroxide was catalysed with peroxotungstic acid complexed to immobilised mono-and bisphosphotriamides. Several silica-based materials such as amorphous silica, K10 montmorillonite and hectorite were used as carriers; these were first aminated with methylaminopropyl-trimethoxysilane and phosphorylated to the required phosphotriamides. Styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, indene, cyclohexene and cyclooctene were used as substrates and repeated uses of catalysts were performed to test the stability of the metal complexes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.