Manganese (III) acetate dihydrate catalyzed aerobic epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins in fluorous solvents

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(98)00396-2

Manganese(III) acetate dihydrate is used as a catalyst for the epoxidation of various olefins with molecular oxygen/pivalaldehyde as an oxidant in perfluoro-2-butyltelrahydrofuran. Various types of olefins, including substituted styrenea, stilbenes and cyclic and acyclic alkenes were epoxidized in excellent yields at 25°C. The reaction is stereodependent. Regioselectivity is observed on epoxidation of limonene. Mono- and disubstituted olefins show interesting dichotomy in their reactivity in fluorous solvents such as perfluoro-2-butyltetrahydrofuran and 1,1,1,3,3,3- hexafluoro-2-propanol.