Terpenic olefin epoxidation using metals acetylacetonates as catalysts

Abstract Efficient epoxidation of natural terpenic olefins is performed using nickel acetylacetonate, oxygen and a branched aldehyde at ambient temperature. Total conversions are achieved with selectivities up to 90% into epoxide. Under the same conditions other catalytic systems using transition metal acetylacetonates (M n (acac) n ) have been used, some of which also gave satisfactory results.