Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of α,β‐Unsaturated Esters Using an Yttrium‐Biphenyldiol Complex.

Abstract

We succeeded in a catalytic asymmetric epoxidation reaction of α,β-unsaturated esters via a conjugate addition of an oxidant using 2−10 mol % of the yttirium-chiral biphenyldiol catalyst. A variety of substrates with β-aryl and β-alkyl substituents were epoxidized efficiently, yielding the corresponding α,β-epoxy esters in up to 97% yield and 99% ee.