Epoxidation oxygen transfer process

During the last three decades, peroxo compounds of early transition metals (TMs) in their highest oxidation state, like TiIV, Vv, MoVI, WV1, and Revn, attracted much interest due to their activity in oxygen transfer processes which are important for many chemical and biological applications. Olefin epoxidation is of particular significance since epoxides are key starting compounds for a large variety of chemicals and polymers [1]. Yet, details of the mechanism of olefin epoxidation by TM peroxides are still under discussion. 

Coordination catalysis via alkyl hydroperoxides is well documented (4, 31). Selective oxidations of olefins to epoxides (Reaction 16), using especially Group IV, V, and VI transition-metal complexes, can occur possibly via oxygen-transfer processes of the type... 

For selective oxygen-transfer processes, as in, for example, epoxidation, Ru-0x0 species in lower oxidation states have been commonly applied. In general, catalytic systems for oxygen-transfer processes can be divided into two major categories, involving peroxometal and oxometal species as the active oxidant, respectively [1]. The peroxometal mechanism is generally observed with early transition elements whereby high-valent peroxometal complexes of, for example, Mo, and TF, are the active oxidants (Fig. 2, pathway a). Cataly-... 

In addition to the activity of the protein in substrate processing, stereospecificity of substrate oxidation is of equal concern. As a result, studies of Mb monooxygenase activity are frequently complemented by determination of the enantiomeric ratio of products (enantiomeric excess) and analysis of the fraction of peroxide oxygen transferred to product. As epoxidation and sulfoxidation reactions catalyzed by Mb have received particular attention, the following discussion considers the progress in understanding these activities of both wild-type and variant forms of the protein. 

The activation of oxygen in oxygen transfer reactions is usually mediated by a suitable transition metal catalyst which has to be sufficiently stable under the reaction conditions needed. But also non-metal catalysts for homogeneous oxidations have recently been of broad interest and several of them have been compiled in a recent review.2 Other examples for well known alkene oxidation reactions are the ozonolysis, hydroboration reactions or all biological processes, where oxygen is activated and transferred to the substrate. Examples for these reactions might be cytochrome P450 or other oxotransferases. Of these reactions, this contribution will focus on transition-metal mediated epoxidation and dihydroxylation. 

Figure 8 Examples of oxygen transfer to different substrates using hydroperoxo or alkylperoxo species A, the epoxidation of olefins catalyzed by Mo (VI) complexes as in the Oxirane process B, the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of ketones catalyzed by Pt(II) complexes C, the epoxidation of olefins catalyzed by Ti(IV) silicates D, the oxidation of organic sulfides catalyzed by V(V) complexes.

The mechanism of the asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohols with the Sharpless-Katsuki catalyst is assumed to be very similar to the one described for the Halcon-ARCO process in Section 2.5. The key point is that the chiral tartrate creates an asymmetric environment about the titanium center (Figure 18). When the allylic alcohol and the t-butyl hydroperoxide bind through displacement of alkoxy groups from the metal, they are disposed in such a way as to direct oxygen transfer to a specific face of the C=C double bond. This point is crucial to maximize enantioselectivity. 

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