Asymmetric Epoxidation of alpha,beta-Unsaturated Ketones Catalyzed by Chiral Polybinaphthyl Zinc Complexes: Greatly Enhanced Enantioselectivity by a Cooperation of the Catalytic Sites in a Polymer Chain.

Polybinaphthyl zinc catalysts have been developed for the asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Up to 81% ee has been achieved for the epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones containing beta-aliphatic substituents by using a binaphthyl polymer combined with diethylzinc. A very interesting positive cooperative effect of the catalytic sites in the polymer chain is observed which leads to greatly increased enantioselectivity over the corresponding monomer ligands.