Chiral macrocyclic salen Mn(III) complexes catalyzed enantioselective epoxidation of non-functionalized alkenes using NaOCl and urea H2O2 as oxidants

Two new chiral Mn(III) macrocyclic salen complexes 1a and 1b were prepared for the enantioselective epoxidation of non-functionalized alkenes. A 5 mol% loading of these catalysts in the presence of pyridine N-oxide as an axial base and sodium hypochlorite or urea hydrogen peroxide adduct as oxidant worked well to give respective epoxides in high yields and ee (up to >95% in selected cases). The catalyst 1b with urea hydrogen peroxide adduct as an oxidant was recovered by precipitation with hexane and was reused up to four times with retention of enantioselectivity.