Aerobic catalytic epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins using a new (salen) manganese(III) complex bearing a sesquiterpene Salicylaldehyde derivative
A chiral (salen) manganese (III) complex 1 bearing a sesquiterpene salicylaldehyde and (RP)-1,2-clohexanediamine moieties has been prepared. This complex catalyses the epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins with iodosylbenzene and molecular oxygen/pivalaldehyde as terminal oxidants. In all cases the chemical yield was high although the enantiomeric excess obtained were low. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.