Efficient and clean epoxidation of methyl oleate to epoxidized methyl oleate catalyzed by external surface of TS-1 supported molybdenum catalysts

Abstract

Methyl oleate (MO) macromolecules are unable to access the microporous channel of conventional titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) zeolite, which leads to the low catalytic activity of epoxidation of MO. Herein, the small-size TS-1 (TS-1-s) zeolite with a large surface area was synthesized successfully through steam-assisted crystallization, and then a novel blocked TS-1-s supported molybdenum (Mo/TS-1-bs) catalysts were prepared for efficient epoxidation of MO with clean H 2 O 2 to produce epoxidized methyl oleate (EMO). Various characterization results show the introduced Mo species are highly dispersed on the outer surface of TS-1-s without destroying the structure of the MFI type zeolite and the tetrahedral framework titanium (Ti 4+ ). Interestingly, a large number of Mo 6+ species exhibit certain epoxidation activity attributing to the generating of electrophilic molybdenum hydroperoxide (Mo–OOH) species via Mo species combined with H 2 O 2 , which could adsorb and react easily with MO molecules. Furthermore, the Mo species are also coordinated with Ti 4+ species through the O atom resulting in the facile attack of the Ti–O bonds by H 2 O 2 and easy to form an active intermediate. Therefore, compared with the conventional TS-1, the Mo/TS-1-bs shows higher catalytic activity in the epoxidation reaction. However, the acidity of Mo/TS-1-bs catalysts increases with increasing the Mo-loading owing to the formation of Lewis acid, which leads to the side reactions and the decrease of EMO selectivity. As a consequence, the efficient, non-corrosive and green catalytic system for epoxidation of MO was developed, and the activity improvement of Mo species and the influence of acid were also demonstrated. • The clean small-size TS-1 and Mo/TS-1-bs catalysts were prepared successfully for epoxidation of methyl oleate (MO). • Mo species can promote the MO epoxidation through generating of molybdenum hydroperoxide and coordination with Ti 4+ . • The acidity of Mo/TS-1-bs catalysts can decrease the selectivity of epoxidized methyl oleate.