A new titanium–silica catalyst for the epoxidation of non-functionalized alkenes and allylic alcohols

Silica treated with Ti(OPri)4 is an efficient catalyst for the tert-butyl hydroperoxide epoxidation of nonfunctionalized alkenes and allylic alcohols at room temperature; the reactivity of the olefinic substrate depends on the structure, which allows the selective epoxidation of compounds containing different types of double bonds; 1H and 13C CP-MAS NMR shows the presence of isopropoxide groups in the catalyst.