A Novel Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)‐Catalyzed Epoxidation of Olefins: An Impressive Example of Simplicity, Selectivity, and Efficiency

Abstract

Simply by adding pyridine ligands and using aqueous hydrogen peroxide as stoichiometric oxidant the methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)-catalyzed epoxidation becomes a simple, chemoselective, and highly efficient reaction, as exemplified below. A wide variety of functional groups is tolerated, and the epoxides are obtained in high yield in a short time with low catalyst loading.