Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.38, No.7, 1446-1449, 1999
Dual role of pyridine N-oxides in ruthenium porphyrin-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of olefins
The most important intermediates in the ruthenium porphyrin-catalyzed epoxidation of olefins by pyridine N-oxides are shown to be N-oxide-coordinated Ru-IV=O complexes. With a chiral ruthenium porphyrin catalyst, the enantioselective epoxidation of terminal aromatic olefins proceeds with up to 80% ee.