In this article, we describe the development and preliminary results of our new designed C-2-symmetric bis-hydroxamic acid (BHA) ligands and the application of the new ligands for vanadium-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohols as well as homo-allylic alcohols. From this success we demonstrate the versatile nature of BHA in the molybdenum catalyzed asymmetric oxidation of unfunctionalized olefins and sulfides. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.