A New, Efficient Route to Titanium-Silsesquioxane Epoxidation Catalysts Developed by Using High-Speed Experimentation Techniques

High-speed experimentation techniques have been applied in the synthesis and testing of silsesquioxane-based titanium catalysts (see picture) for the epoxidation of alkenes. Different solvents and organotrichlorosilanes were employed in the optimization of the hydrolytic condensation of silanes to open silsesquioxane structures. This new, fast, and simple synthesis route yields catalysts whose performance is comparable to the best known silsesquioxane-based titanium catalysts.