Asymmetric Epoxidation Using Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidant

Abstract

Asymmetric epoxidation is one of the most important transformations in organic synthesis. Although tremendous progress was achieved in this field in the 1980s and 1990s, it is still desirable from both economical and ecological views to develop environmentally friendly catalytic epoxidation with a broad substrate scope. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe and cheap oxidant, which is easy to handle and generates water as the sole byproduct. Therefore, asymmetric epoxidation of olefins using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant has been a very active research field and has been investigated by many research groups in recent years. In this review, the exciting very recent developments of this rapidly growing area are surveyed and organized according to the catalyst systems.

Keywords: asymmetric synthesis; catalysis; epoxidation; hydrogen peroxide; olefins.