Dimethyl carbonate: an environmentally friendly solvent for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)/methyltrioxorhenium (CH3ReO3, MTO) catalytic oxidations

Environmentally friendly oxidations of various organic compounds with the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)/methyltrioxorhenium (CH3ReO3, MTO) catalytic system have been described in dimethyl carbonate (DMC), a cheap commercially available and benign chemical having interesting solvating properties, low toxicity and high biodegradability. Oxidations proceeded with good conversions and in good yields. Spectrophotometric analysis demonstrated that the [CH3ReO(O–O)2] complex was formed in DMC and that it was stable for several days at room temperature.