Aerobic oxidations of unsaturated substrates under Mukaiyama's conditions: The role of the metal and of the sacrificial aldehyde

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(95)00410-A

Aerobic epoxidation of unsaturated substrates has been achieved under Mukaiyama's conditions (atmospheric pressure of dioxygen, in the presence of an excess of sacrificial aldehyde) with or without metal catalyst. The influence of light in non-catalysed reactions and the possible role of the aldehyde and of the metal complex in catalysed reactions are discussed. Two mechanistic pathways are proposed for Co(II) and Fe(III) [Ni(II)] catalytic centres.