Commercially available carbodiimides in hydroxylic solvents containing
hydrogen peroxide with mildly basic or acidic catalysts have been fou
nd to promote the epoxidation of olefins. A commercially available 30%
aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide serves as the oxidant for this
process. The presumed reactive species is a peroxyisourea generated in
situ by the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the carbodiimide.