Zeolite-encapsulated ruthenium(III) salophen (ZERS) was prepared by flexible ligand method and characterized by diffuse reflectance FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopic methods, X-ray diffraction, BET, SEM, TEM and elemental analysis. The amount of Ru-salophen in the zeolite supercages was 0.018 mmol/g of encapsulated zeolite. This catalyst was used for efficient and selective epoxidation of different alkenes with NaIO4 under magnetic stirring and ultrasonic irradiation conditions. This catalyst also showed a good shape-selectivity in the epoxidation of linear alkenes. This heterogeneous catalyst was reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.