Tungstic Acid: A Simple and Effective Solid Catalyst in Terpene Alcohol Oxidation Reactions with Hydrogen Peroxide

In this work, we report for the first time, tungstic acid-catalyzed oxidation of terpene alcohols with hydrogen peroxide. This simple, solid, and commercially available catalyst efficiently promoted conversion borneol, geraniol nerol to camphor epoxide products, respectively. Effects main reaction parameters, such as load, molar ratio oxidant substrate, temperature were investigated. Conversions selectivity greater than 90% achieved using 1.0 mol % H2WO4 after 2 h at 90 °C. The activation energy was equal 66 kJmol−1. We propose a mechanism based on experimental results. solid easily recovered reused without loss activity. As far know, it is time that acid used in reactions alcohols.