Cobalt alkene epoxidation catalysis

In pursuit of biomimetic catalysts, metaUoporphyrins have been extensively studied in attempts to mimic the active site of cytochrome P450, which is an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation reactions in organisms. In recent decades, catalysis of alkene epoxidation with metaUoporphyrins has received considerable attention. It has been found that iron [1-3], manganese [4,5], chromium [6], and cobalt porphyrins can be used as model compounds for the active site of cytochrome P450, and oxidants such as iodosylbenzene, sodium hypochlorite [7,8], hydrogen peroxide [9], and peracetic acid [10] have been shown to work for these systems at ambient temperature and pressure. While researchers have learned a great deal about these catalysts, several practical issues limit their applicability, especially deactivation. 

Cobalt tetraarylporphyrins with fluorine-containing substituents were active in epoxidation of alkenes using fluorous catalysis in the presence of oxygen and 2-methylpropanal [167,170-171]. Manganese and cobalt complexes of perfluorinated tetraazocyclonone catalyzed allylic oxidation of alkenes with r-BuOOH/Oa [172]. The complex with the salen ligand 57 was active in alkene epoxidation under Mikayama s conditions, and indene was epoxidated at a high stereospecificity [173]. 

It has been shown that this catalyst is selective in epoxidation of linear alkenes the linear epoxide yield was two to four times higher than in catalysis by ordinary porphyrin. It was also demonstrated that, in catalysis by the dendrimers, cyclic alkenes are oxidized three times more rapidly than similar linear 1-alkenes are. The catalyst activity decreases only by 10% at a turnover number (TON) of 1000, which is much higher than that for the monomolecular analogue. A cobalt complex with dendrimer phthalocyanine was much more stable, while remaining active, in... 

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