Epoxidation catalyst

1 . A process for producing a titanium or vanadium zeolite comprising reacting a titanium or vanadium compound, a silicon source, a templating agent, and a polyol at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a molecular sieve.

2 . The process of claim 1 wherein the titanium compound is selected from the group consisting of titanium halides, titanium alkoxides, and mixtures thereof.

3 . The process of claim 1 wherein the silicon source is selected from the group consisting of colloidal silica, fumed silica, silicon alkoxides, and mixtures thereof.

4 . The process of claim 1 wherein the templating agent is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium hydroxides, tetraalkylammonium halides, and mixtures thereof.

5 . The process of claim 1 wherein the polyol is a polymerization product of an alkylene oxide selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxides, and mixtures thereof.

6 . A process for producing an epoxide comprising reacting an olefin and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanium or vanadium zeolite, wherein the titanium or vanadium zeolite is produced by reacting a titanium or vanadium compound, a silicon source, a templating agent, and a polyol at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a molecular sieve.

7 . The process of claim 6 wherein the titanium compound is selected from the group consisting of titanium halides, titanium alkoxides, and mixtures thereof.

8 . The process of claim 6 wherein the silicon source is selected from the group consisting of colloidal silica, fumed silica, silicon alkoxides, and mixtures thereof.

9 . The process of claim 6 wherein the templating agent is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium hydroxides, tetraalkylammonium halides, and mixtures thereof.

10 . The process of claim 6 wherein the polyol is a polymerization product of an alkylene oxide selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxides, and mixtures thereof.

11 . The process of claim 6 wherein the titanium or vanadium zeolite is titanium silicalite.

12 . The process of claim 6 wherein the olefin is a C 2 -C 6 olefin.

13 . The process of claim 6 wherein reaction of olefin and hydrogen peroxide is performed in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, C 1 -C 4 alcohols, CO 2 , and mixtures thereof.

14 . The process of claim 6 wherein the hydrogen peroxide is formed by the in situ reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a noble metal catalyst.

15 . The process of claim 14 wherein the noble metal catalyst comprises a noble metal and a support.

16 . The process of claim 15 wherein the noble metal is selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, and gold.

17 . The process of claim 15 wherein the support is carbon, titania, zirconia, niobium oxides, silica, alumina, silica-alumina, tantalum oxides, molybdenum oxides, tungsten oxides, titania-silica, zirconia-silica, niobia-silica, and mixtures thereof.

18 . A process for producing an epoxide comprising reacting an olefin, hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a noble metal-containing titanium or vanadium zeolite comprising a noble metal and a titanium or vanadium zeolite, wherein the titanium or vanadium zeolite is produced by reacting a titanium or vanadium compound, a silicon source, a templating agent, and a polyol at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a molecular sieve.

19 . The process of claim 18 wherein the titanium or vanadium zeolite is a titanium silicalite.

20 . The process of claim 18 wherein the olefin is propylene.

21 . The process of claim 18 wherein reaction of olefin, hydrogen and oxygen is performed in a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, C 1 -C 4 alcohols, CO 2 , and mixtures thereof.