A Molybdenum(VI) Complex of 5-(2-pyridyl-1-oxide)tetrazole: Synthesis, Structure, and Transformation into a MoO3-Based Hybrid Catalyst for the Epoxidation of Bio-Olefins

The discovery of heterogeneous catalysts synthesized in easy, sustainable ways for the valorization olefins derived from renewable biomass is attractive environmental, sustainability, and economic viewpoints. Here, an organic–inorganic hybrid catalyst formulated as [MoO3(Hpto)]·H2O (2), where Hpto = 5-(2-pyridyl-1-oxide)tetrazole, was prepared by a hydrolysis–condensation reaction complex [MoO2Cl2(Hpto)]∙THF (1). characterization 1 2 FT-IR Raman spectroscopies, well 13C solid-state NMR, suggests that bidentate N,O-coordination (forming six-membered chelate ring, confirmed X-ray crystallography) maintained 2, with ligand coordinated to molybdenum oxide substructure. Catalytic studies suggested rare case oxide/organic acts stable solid olefin epoxidation tert-butyl hydroperoxide. effective converting biobased olefins, namely fatty acid methyl esters (methyl oleate, linoleate, linolenate, ricinoleate) terpene limonene, leading predominantly corresponding epoxide products yields range 85–100% after 24 h at 70 °C. versatility shown its effectiveness oxidation sulfides into sulfoxides sulfones, 35 °C (quantitative yield sulfoxide plus sulfone, h; sulfone 77–86%). To best our knowledge, first reported linolenate epoxidation, family [MoO3(L)x] studied ricinoleate epoxidation.