Epoxidations using vanadium catalysts

Oxovanadium(V) and oxomolybdenum(VI) were incorporated into crosslinked polystyrene resins functionalized with iminodiacetic acid or diethylenetriamine derivatives 921 The polymer complexes were used as catalysts in the oxidation of olefins with f-butylhydroperoxide. Vanadium(V) complexes promote the epoxidation of allylic alcohols in a highly regioselective manner, e.g., 2,3-epoxide was obtained in 98 % selectivity from e-geraniol at 80 °C. The catalytic activity of the vanadium(V) complexes is generally higher than that of the molybdenium(VI) complexes in the oxidation of allylic alcohols, whereas an opposed trend holds for the epoxidation of cyclohexene. 

The asymmetric epoxidation of homoallylic alcohols has continued to be a problematic area. A potential solution has recently been published <07JA286 07T6075>. The use of bis-hydroxamic acid 1 as a chiral ligand for a vanadium catalyst has provided both excellent yields and enantioselectivity. This method works well with both cis- and trans-alkenes. 

Homoallylic alcohols can be asymmetrically epoxidized using a chiral vanadium catalyst equipped with the hydroxaraic acid ligand 45, as exemplified in Yamamoto s concise synthesis... 

Katsuki-Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation. Since its introduction in 1980 [10], the Katsuki-Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation (AE) reaction of allylic alcohols has been one of the most popular methods in asymmetric synthesis ([11-14]). In this work, the metal-catalyzed epoxidation of allylic alcohols described in the previous section was rendered asymmetric by switching from vanadium catalysts to titanium ones and by the addition of various tartrate esters as chiral ligands. Although subject to some technical improvements (most notably the addition of molecular sieves, which allowed the use of catalytic amounts of the titanium-tartrate complex), this recipe has persisted to this writing. 

Allylic alcohols, for example geraniol, 2-methylallyl alcohol, 3,3-dimethylallyl alcohol, 3-buten-2-ol, l-octen-3-ol, and l-hexen-3-ol, are epoxidized with tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of a vanadyl salen oxo-transfer catalyst in supercritical CO2. The metal catalyst was prepared in a simple two-step, Schiff base-type reaction to form the salen ligand, followed by complexation to the vanadyl group. The use of non-toxic supercritical CO2 in the presence of the new epoxidation vanadium catalyst led to yields and diastereoselectivities that were comparable to those resulting from the use of environmentally hazardous solvents such as CH2CI2 [59]. 

When bomeol or camphor is heated with solid potassium hydroxide to 250-280 °C, ring cleavage of the bicyclic system occurs and the product, campholic acid 68, can be isolated in high yield65-67. Thus, (-)-borneol gives ( + )-campholic acid [( + )-68], which has been used as the hydroxamic acid derivative as a chiral ligand for a vanadium catalyst in the enantioselective epoxidation of allylic alcohols (Section D.4.5.2.4.). 

Vanadium catalysts have found particular advantage for stereoselective epoxi-dations. Thus, the acyclic allylic alcohol 34 is oxidized with high selectivity using t-BuOOH and vanadium acetylacetonate, whereas with mCPBA a nearly equal mixture of the diastereomeric epoxides was produced (5.45). 

Other metal-based epoxidation catalysts have been explored to overcome some of the hmitations of the Sharpless procedure. One drawback with the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation is the slightly lower ees often obtained when using cis-olefin substrates. The group of Yamamoto have achieved highly enantioselective epoxidations of ds-alkenes using vanadium(V) oxytriisopropoxide in the presence of C2-symmetric bishydroxamic acid ligands such as (4.23). In contrast to the Sharpless procedure this process is not hampered by the presence of air or... 

High-valent early transition metals like titanium(IV) and vanadium(V) have been shown to efficiently catalyze the epoxidation of alkenes. The preferred oxidants using these catalysts are various alkyl hydroperoxides, typically tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) or ethylbenzene hydroperoxide (EBH P). One of the routes for the industrial production of propylene oxide is based on a heterogeneous Ti ySi02 catalyst, which employs EBHP as the terminal oxidant [6]. 

In particular, the AE reaction on cis-substituted alkenes, which normally tend to give lower enantioselectivities, resulted in excellent ees employing catalyst 3. In addition, this epoxidation protocol tolerates the use of aqueous TBHP, and does not suffer from the ligand deceleration effects normally observed for vanadium catalysts. 

Enantioselective oxidation catalysis to yield chiral products from prochiral substrates using polyoxometalate catalysts has not been observed until recently. However, in a combined effort of several research groups it has been shown that the racemic vanadium-substituted sandwich type polyoxometalate, [(V 0)2ZnW(ZnW9034)2] , is an extremely effective catalyst (up to 40 000 turnovers) at near ambient temperatures, for the enantioselective epoxidation of aUyHc alcohols to the 2R,3R-ejx)xyalcohol with the sterically crowded chiral hydroperoxide, TADOOH, as oxygen donor [31], Scheme 8.6. 

The tert-huty hydroperoxide is then mixed with a catalyst solution to react with propylene. Some TBHP decomposes to TBA during this process step. The catalyst is typically an organometaHic that is soluble in the reaction mixture. The metal can be tungsten, vanadium, or molybdenum. Molybdenum complexes with naphthenates or carboxylates provide the best combination of selectivity and reactivity. Catalyst concentrations of 200—500 ppm in a solution of 55% TBHP and 45% TBA are typically used when water content is less than 0.5 wt %. The homogeneous metal catalyst must be removed from solution for disposal or recycle (137,157). Although heterogeneous catalysts can be employed, elution of some of the metal, particularly molybdenum, from the support surface occurs (158). References 159 and 160 discuss possible mechanisms for the catalytic epoxidation of olefins by hydroperoxides. 

Titanium—Vanadium Mixed Metal Alkoxides. Titanium—vanadium mixed metal alkoxides, VO(OTi(OR)2)2, are prepared by reaction of titanates, eg, TYZOR TBT, with vanadium acetate ia a high boiling hydrocarbon solvent. The by-product butyl acetate is distilled off to yield a product useful as a catalyst for polymeri2iag olefins, dienes, styrenics, vinyl chloride, acrylate esters, and epoxides (159,160). 

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