Novel Asymmetric and Stereospecific Aziridination of Alkenes with a Chiral Nitridomanganese Complex.

The addition of pyridine N-oxide is necessary to obtain high enantioselectivities in the asymmetric aziridination of styrene derivatives through transfer of a nitrogen atom from chiral, toluenesulfonic anhydride activated nitridomanganese complex 1 [Eq. (a)]. Remarkably, high stereospecificity was observed in all the aziridinations of trans- and cis-1,2-disubstituted alkenes. R1 =H, Me, nPr, iPr; R2 =H, Me; Ts=p-toluenesulfonyl. © 1998 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Fed. Rep. of Germany.