Asymmetric Aerobic Epoxidation of Unfunctionalized Olefins Catalyzed by Optically Active α-Alkoxycarbonyl-β-ketoiminato Manganese(III) Complexes

Optically active N,N′-ethylenebis(α-alkoxycarbonyl-β-ketoimine) was found to be a new class of effective ligand of manganese(III) complex catalyst for the asymmetric aerobic epoxidation of simple olefins, such as 1,2-dihydronaphthalene derivatives, to afford the corresponding optically active epoxides with good to high enantioselectivities.