Epoxidation of allylic alcohols by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of complexed peroxotungstic species

Peroxotungstic acid and quaternary ammonium peroxotungstic salts when complexed to organophosphorus(V) ligands exhibit enhanced reactivity and selectivity in the epoxidation of unsaturated alcohols with hydrogen peroxide. The organophosphorus ligands contain the phosphoryl OP subunit as complexing moiety and are related to phosphine oxide, arylphosphonic acid and acidic phosphate ester. Allylic and cinnamic alcohols were examined under homogeneous and biphasic liquid-liquid conditions.