Hydrogen peroxide activation by fluorophilic polyoxotungstates for fast and selective oxygen transfer catalysis

Fluorophilic polyoxotungstates perform the selective epoxidations of internal and terminal double bonds by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activation in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), under mild temperature conditions. A hybrid synergy of supra-molecular interactions, involving the inorganic cluster and the fluorinated solvent, is envisaged to boost H2O2 activation and the oxygen transfer mechanism. 1,2-Epoxides have been obtained with >99% selectivity and 98% yield at T = 40-70 degrees C.