The diastereoselective epoxidation of olefins in supercritical carbon dioxide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)01212-X

Allylic alcohols 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 reaction to form the salen ligand, followed by complexation to the vanadyl group. The epoxidation reactions are clean and give both high yields and good diastereoselectivity.