Oxidation of styrene epoxide–acid binary system and styrene epoxide–acid–amine ternary system catalyzed by Co(II) salts

The Co(II) salt (nitrate, chloride)-induced acceleration of styrene epoxide (SE) consumption and oxidation by molecular oxygen in acetonitrile solutions of three- and four-component systems, SE–acetic acid–cobalt salt and SE–acetic acid–cobalt salt–aniline, was found and investigated. The heterolytic epoxide ring opening in SE and homolysis (oxidation) catalyzed by cobalt salts can be accomplished in the presence of acid co-catalyst. The competition between homolysis and heterolysis processes in the presence of metal-containing catalyst was discovered for the first time for this type of system. The cobalt catalyst is deactivated during the styrene epoxide conversion.