Commercially available carbodiimides in hydroxylic solvents containing hydrogen peroxide with mildly basic or acidic catalysts have been found 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.
