OXIDATION OF ALKENES WITH HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE CATALYZED BY IRON PORPHYRINS IMMOBILIZED TO IMIDAZOLE GROUPS IN A HYDROPHOBIC ENVIRONMENT ON A MODIFIED SILICA SURFACE

A biomimetic model of a monooxygenase enzyme was designed and synthesized on a silica surface using a facile procedure, for the purpose of direct functionalization of hydrocarbons. Immobilization and isolation of simple and bulky forms of iron tetraphenylporphyrin was accomplished by coordinative ligation to anchored imidazolyl groups in hydrophobic cavities formed by alkyl chains attached to the surface. The synthesized catalyst was dispersed in an aqueous solution with alkenes. The substrates were catalytically epoxidized by H2O2 as the oxygen donor in the presence of imidazole. The high catalytic activity for the epoxidation of alkenes is discussed with respect to the characteristics of the novel catalyst structure and of the applied reaction system.