Chirally-Modified Graphite Oxide as Chirality Inducing Support for Asymmetric Epoxidation of Olefins with Grafted Manganese Porphyrin

Abstract

A chirality inducer was prepared by graphite oxide (GO) functionalization with enantiopure l-tartrate (GO*) and used as asymmetric support for a covalently-linked manganese porphyrine complex [Mn(TPyP)OAc]. The thereby obtained heterogeneous catalyst, GO*-[Mn(TPyP)OAc], showed excellent performance and ee-values of 92–99% for the asymmetric epoxidation of prochiral olefins with O2 as oxidant and isobutyraldehyde as co-reductant in acetonitrile; linear terminal olefins with 54–76% conversion and quantitative conversion of aromatic olefins. The GO*-[Mn(TPyP)OAc] catalyst is highly active, recyclable, and at the same time simple and inexpensive to prepare with a chiral inducer from the chiral pool. The structure of the catalyst was elucidated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET analysis, FT-IR, Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopic methods. Graphite oxide functionalized with an enantiopure group was used as a chirality inducer and asymmetric support for a Mn-porphyrine complex. The thereby obtained heterogeneous catalyst is an excellent enantioselective catalyst for the epoxidation of prochiral olefins.