Chemoselective epoxidation of cholesterol derivatives on a surface-designed molecularly imprinted Ru-porphyrin catalyst.

A new molecularly imprinted Ru-porphyrin complex catalyst on a SiO2 support was designed, prepared, and characterized in a step-by-step manner for the C5[double bond, length as m-dash]C6 epoxidation of cholesterol derivatives. High chemoselectivity for the C5[double bond, length as m-dash]C6 epoxidation of cholesterol derivatives without protecting the 3-position OH group and other oxidizable functional groups was achieved on the molecularly imprinted catalyst.