Stereoselective Epoxidation of Alkenes with Hydrogen Peroxide using a Bipyrrolidine-Based Family of Manganese Complexes

Abstract

Novel manganese complexes containing N4-tetradentate ligands derived from chiral bipyrrolidinediamines catalyze the stereoselective epoxidation of a wide array of alkenes using low catalyst loadings (0.1 mol%) and hydrogen peroxide (1.2 equiv.) as terminal oxidant. This family of catalysts affords good to excellent yields (80–100%) and moderate to good ees (40–73%) in short reaction times (30 min) making efficient use of hydrogen peroxide