Polymer-immobilized manganese(III)-Schiff base complexes for catalytic epoxidation of olefins

Abstract

Polymer-linked manganese(III)-salen-type Schiff base complexes were prepared by the copolymerization of functionalized Schiff base, styrene, and divinylbenzene at various mixing ratios (1:10:0–1:12:4), followed by introduction of Mn(III) ion. The materials catalyzed epoxidation of cyclohexene with iodosylbenzene in CH2Cl2 as rapidly as the monomer complexes. The maximum total turnover reached 170, which is about 13 times higher than that of the monomer. The lifetime of polymer catalysts is discussed in terms of cross-linking and solvent effects.