Efficiency of selected phase transfer catalysts for the synthesis of 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene in the presence of H2O2/H3PW12O40 as catalytic system

The results of the studies on the influence of the phase transfer catalyst on the epoxidation of (Z,E,E)-1,5,9-cyclododecatriene (CDT) to 1,2-epoxy-5,9-cyclododecadiene (ECDD) in the H2O2/H3PW12O40 system by a method of phase transfer catalysis (PTC) were presented. The following quaternary ammonium salts were used as phase transfer catalysts: methyltributylammonium chloride, (cetyl)pyridinium bromide, methyltrioctylammonium chloride, (cetyl)pyridinium chloride, dimethyl[dioctadecyl(76%)+dihexadecyl(24%)] ammonium chloride, tetrabutylammonium hydrogensulfate, didodecyldimethylammonium bromide and methyltrioctylammonium bromide. Their catalytic activity was evaluated on the basis of the degree of CDT and hydrogen peroxide conversion and the selectivities of transformation to ECDD in relation to consumed CDT and hydrogen peroxide. The most effective PT catalysts were selected based on the obtained results. Among the onium salts under study, the epoxidation of CDT with hydrogen peroxide proceeds the most effectively in the presence of methyltrioctylammonium chloride (Aliquat® 336) and (cetyl)pyridinium chloride (CPC). The relatively good results of CDT epoxidation were also achieved in the presence of Arquad® 2HT and (cetyl)pyridinium bromide.