Environmental friendly method of the epoxidation of limonene with hydrogen peroxide over the Ti-SBA-15 catalyst

This work presents the studies on the epoxidation of limonene to 1,2-epoxylimonene with hydrogen peroxide and over the titanium-silicate Ti-SBA-15 catalyst. The main object of the research was a solvent effect on the epoxidation process. The influence of solvents, such as: methanol, toluene, propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol), acetonitrile and ethanol has been studied. Furthermore, the influence of temperature in the range of 0-120°C and the reaction time in the range of 0.25-48 h have been investigated. Gas chromatography and iodometric titration methods were used to establish the products of this process and amount of the unreacted hydrogen peroxide. 1,2-Epoxylimonene, 1,2-epoxylimonene diol, perillyl alcohol, carvone and carveol have been determined as the main products of this process. All these compounds are very valuable raw materials for organic syntheses, medicine or cosmetic and food industry.