A novel and direct synthesis of hydroperoxy compounds from various types of
conjugated olefins was established via cobalt(II) porphyrin-catalyzed hydr
operoxygenation. The reaction of alpha,beta,gamma,delta-unsaturated carbony
l compounds, acrylic esters, alpha-substituted acrylic esters and styrene d
erivatives with molecular oxygen and triethylsilane in the presence of a ca
talytic amount of cobalt(II) porphyrin proceeded rapidly to give the corres
ponding hydroperoxygenated compounds in high or moderate yields.