| Summary: |
Enantiopure epoxides are high value added molecules, useful as chiral synthons for the synthesis of biologically active molecules. Worldwide, the demand for enantiopure chiral compounds continues to rise for the use in pharmaceuticals, aroma and fragrance chemicals, agricultural chemicals and specialty materials. Additionally, environmental and economical pressures continue to demand that new solutions are found for the synthesis of high value molecules.
For the preparation of enantiopure epoxides, the transition metal-catalyzed enantioselective epoxidation of different olefins is of utmost importance and has been widely studied over decades. Having as aim to obtain enantioselective catalysts for the epoxidation non-functionalized olefin, several groups reported the synthesis and the catalytic application of a variety of cis-MoO22+ complexes bearing chiral ligands. One of us participated in a project that focused on the improvement of the synthesis and complexes
of general formula Cp'MoO2Cl (Cp' = η5-C5R5 =substituted cyclopentadienyl ring) and their application in epoxidation reactions.
Following these studies the present project suggests the development of a new type of library of catalysts for application in enantioselective epoxidation of olefins. The new catalyst library will be built by a modular approach by parallel synthesis. The basic module of the catalyst will be a cyclopentadienyl molybdenum fragment of the type Cp'MoO2+ and Cp'Mo(CO)3+ due to their previously reported catalytic activity in epoxidation reactions. Additionally, amino acids will be used as chiral inductor modules. Parallel to the synthesis of the catalyst library the project also includes characterization of the catalyst library, screening of the catalytic activity of the catalyst library and optimization of process variables of the catalytic reaction. |