A practical catalytic method for the efficient and highly selective oxidation of a wide range of olefins with hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide in ethanol over the prepared molybdenum nanocatalyst was investigated.

A Schiff base ligand derived from 5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2,2′-dimethylpropylenediamine (H₂L) and its corresponding dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex (Mo(O)₂L) has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The adsorption of Mo(O)₂L on the surface of silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles via hydrogen bonding led to the formation of (α-Fe₂O₃)–MCM-41–Mo(O)₂L as a heterogeneous catalyst. FT-IR and atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize and investigate the new nanocatalyst. A practical catalytic method for the efficient and highly selective oxidation of a wide range of olefins with hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide in ethanol over the prepared molybdenum nanocatalyst was investigated. Under reflux conditions, the oxidation of cyclooctene with tert-butyl hydroperoxide or hydrogen peroxide led to the formation of epoxide as the sole product. The catalyst was reused at least six times without a significant decrease in catalytic activity or selectivity, and without detectable leaching of the catalyst.