Indirect catalytic epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide electrogenerated in ionic liquids

Hydrogen peroxide was generated in room temperature ionic liquids by electrolysis, which was then used for the epoxidation of lipophilic alkenes under a carbon dioxide-saturated environment and in the presence of catalytic amount of manganese salt. 13C NMR showed that the active peroxymonocarbonate (HCO4-) was generated from the mixture of H2O2, CO2, and water in the ionic liquids. Most lipophilic alkenes were selectively epoxidized within 4-5 h. The ionic liquids can be recovered and reused without any deterioration in the performance.Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technolog