A novel and efficient catalytic epoxidation of olefins with adducts derived from methyltrioxorhenium and chiral aliphatic amines

Nitrogen-based adducts derived from methyltrioxorhenium(VII) and chiral aliphatic amines have been synthesized and applied to the efficient catalytic epoxidation of olefins with urea hydrogen peroxide complex as the primary oxidant. These complexes retain their catalytic activity when microencapsulated in polystyrene. A moderate steroinduction was obtained in the epoxidation of prochiral olefins with complexes between methyltrioxorhenium and chiral trans-1,2-cyclohexyldiamine. The values of steroinduction were found to increase after the microencapsulation process. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.