Hydrolytic cleavage of epoxy ring during the epoxidation of alkenes over boron modified titanium silicalites of MFI topology

Boron incorporated bifunctional microporous titanium silicalites of MFI topology, which contained both oxidizing and acidic sites, can effectively catalyse the selective epoxidation of α-olefins, followed by ring opening of the epoxide through hydrolysis reactions. Data are presented that correlate the oxidative and acidic functions of these catalysts. The rate of hydrolysis is seen to depend on the phases generated by incorporation of the boron atoms.