Novel manganese complex as an efficient catalyst for the isobutyraldehyde-mediated epoxidation of cyclic alkenes with dioxygen

The highly efficient oxidation of cyclic alkenes was realized using a novel manganese complex as catalyst and molecular oxygen as oxidant in the presence of isobutyraldehyde. The reaction of 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid with p-toluidine gave the corresponding amide in good yield. A manganese complex bearing this ligand was highly active in isobutyraldehyde-mediated epoxidation of cyclic alkenes using molecular oxygen as oxidant, and up to and over 99.9% conversion of the substrate and 99% yield of the epoxide were obtained for the epoxidation of norbornylene.