An Efficient Catalytic Approach for Epoxidation of Styrene over Activated Marble Powder

Abstract

Styrene to styrene epoxide is conducted for the first time over marble powder (MP), consisting of CaO (62.12%), MgO (26.8%), SiO2 (9.24%) and minor amount of Fe (1.94%), Na (0.70%), P (0.019%), K (0.11%) and Mn (0.13%) under aqueous t-butyl hydroperoxide as a simple and green process. Due to the calcium enriched marble, higher basicity (ca. CO2 3980 mu mol g(-1)) was observed from temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of CO2. The excellent catalytic activity with styrene conversion of 98% and styrene epoxide selectivity of 84% during the course of recyclability test for five consecutive cycles is mainly attributed to the constant basicity of the marble.