Effect of solvents on propylene epoxidation with the TS-1 catalyst

Solvents have an important effect on the epoxidation of propylene catalyzed by TS-1. Experimental results show that the catalytic epoxidation activity of various solvents can be ranked as: methanol > 2-propanol > 2-butanol > acetonitrile > acetone > tetrahydrofuran. The reaction mechanism was analyzed to study the effects of the solvents on the epoxidation in terms of the electronic effect, the steric effect, the solvent polarity, the effect of solvent on sorption and reactant diffusion, the alcohol oxidation, the etherization of PO, the deactivation of TS-1 and the propylene solubility in the solvents. The electronic effect, steric effect, and solvent polarity were the main effects. This work provides a basis for choosing solvents for these reactions for further industrialization.