Tungsten Oxytetrachloride and Several Tungstate Salts

Snhmitted by GEORGES GELBARD Checked by JUSTIN L. MALLEK and GREGORY S. GIROLAMI  

Institut de Recherches siir la Catalyse et L Evironment de Lyon, CNRS-Universite de Lyon, Lyon 1, UMR 5256, 2 avenue Albert Einstein, F-69626 Villeuibanne, France. 

The preparation of (m-Bu4N)2W60i9 reported hoe is a sunplifieation of the procedure given in this series by Fournier and Fuchs. Peroxotungstic salts are catalysts for the epoxidation of alkenes with hydrogen pCTOxide. In addition, the quaternary phosphonium and ammonium salts arc of special interest due to their solubUity in nonchlorinated solvents, buturrfortunatcly these salts are difficult to isolate because their preparations involve the use of biphasic conditions. In contrast, the preparation of the cetylpyridinium cation requires only aqueous solutions. 

Phosphoric, phosphinic, and phosphonic acids form complexes with both per-oxotungstates and peroxomolybdates. In particular, phaiylphosphonic acid forms a complex that is a very convenient alkene epoxidation catalyst. In contrast, other analogous catalysts were not isolated and instead were used in situ.  

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