Nanosilica supported molybdenum catalyst for the epoxidation of olefins under thermal and ultrasonic irradiation conditions

The chemical modification of spherical sub-100 nm silica nanoparticles with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and subsequent reaction with acacen (the Schiff base ligand derived from the condensation of acetylacetone and ethylenediamine) and MoO2(acac)2 precursor produced MoO2acacen@APTSNPs. The characterization of the obtained material was performed by Fourier transform infrared, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy, which indicated that the molybdenum complex is successfully supported on the SCMNPs support. The epoxidation of olefins with tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of MoO2acacen@APTSNPs was carried out with good activities and selectivities under reflux and ultrasonic irradiation conditions.