Epoxide ring opening catalyzed by iron oxide-pillared clay

Abstract

Iron oxide pillared clays (Fe-pillared clays) such as Fe-pillared hectorite and Fe-pillared bentonite were synthesized by the intercalation of iron complexes into clay interlayers and calcinations at 300 degrees celsius for 5 h. The synthesized products were characterized using XRD, N[subscript2] adsorption-desorption, redox and base titration. The synthesized Fe-pillared hectorite and bentonite exhibited the mesoporous structure with iron loading of 21.01 %wt and 29.18 %wt, respectively. The synthesized catalysts were used for styrene oxide ring opening by methanol comparing with pure clays and Fe[subscript2O[subscript3]. The quantitative yield of 2-methoxy-2-phenylethonal was obtained using Fe-pillared bentonite in the amount of 30 %wt to styrene oxide, a reaction temperature of 70 degrees celsius and reaction time of 10 min. This method was carried out in short period of time under mild conditions. The optimized conditions were applied to the ring opening of different epoxides such as 1-dodecene oxide, cyclohexene oxide, butyl glycidyl ether, tert-butyl glycidyl ether and a-pinene oxide to furnish the desired products in moderate to excellent yields.