Optically active epoxide preparation alkene enantioselective epoxidation

Although the chiral ketoiminatomanganese(lll) complexes were reported to catalyze the asymmetric aerobic alkene epoxidations, an aldehyde such as pivalaldehyde is required as a sacrihcial reducing agent. Groves reported that the dioxo(porphyrinato)ruthenium complexes 31, prepared with m-chloroperoxyben-zoic acid, catalyzed the aerobic epoxidation without any reductant. " On the basis of these reports, Che synthesized the optically active D4-porphyrin 35 and applied it to the truly aerobic enantioselective epoxidation of alkenes catalyzed by the chiral frani-dioxo (D4-porphyrinato)ruthenium(Vl) complex. The dioxoruthenium complex catalyzed the enantioselective aerobic epoxidation of alkenes with moderate to good enantiomeric excess without any reductant. In the toluene solvent, the turnovers for the epoxidation of T-(3-methylstyrene reached 20 and the ee of the epoxide was increased to 73% ee. 

The dioxirane epoxidation of a prochrral alkene will produce an epoxide with either one new chirality center for terminal alkenes, or two for internal aUcenes. When an optically active dioxirane is nsed as the oxidant, expectedly, prochiral alkenes should be epoxi-dized asymmetrically. This attractive idea for preparative purposes was initially explored by Curci and coworkers in the very beginning of dioxirane chemistry. The optically active chiral ketones 1 and 2 were employed as the dioxirane precursors, but quite disappointing enantioselectivities were obtained. Subsequently, the glucose-derived ketone 3 was used, but unfortunately, this oxidatively labile dioxirane precursor was quickly consumed without any conversion of the aUcene . After a long pause (11 years) of activity in this challenging area, the Curci group reported work on the much more reactive ketone... 

Oxiranes may also be prepared by the cooxidation of aldehydes and olefins. There are two assumptions as regards the mechanism the oxidation occurs via either an acylperoxy radical or a peracid. The peracid oxidation is stereospecific. Experiments carried out with a view to assessing the radical versus nonradical mechanism indicate that the extent of the radical epoxidation depends on the structure of the olefin and the olefin/aldehyde ratio. Cooxidation in the presence of oxygen was achieved by irradiating the aldehyde and carrying out the reaction with the alkene after a suitable quantity of peracid had been obtained. Enantioselective epoxidation has been described in the reaction of (1-phenyl-alkylidene)malonitriles 63 catalyzed by optically active tertiary amines. ... 

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