Chiral Manganese Aminopyridine Complexes: the Versatile Catalysts of Chemo- and Stereoselective Oxidations with H2O2

In the last decade, manganese(II) complexes with N-donor tetradentate aminopyridine ligands emerged as efficient catalysts of enantioselective epoxidation of olefins and direct selective oxidation of C-H groups in complex organic molecules, with environmentally benign oxidant hydrogen peroxide. In this personal account, we summarize the progress of these catalysts with regard to ligands design, structure-reactivity correlations, evaluation of the substrate scope, as well as mechanistic studies, shedding light on the nature of active sites and the mechanisms of selective oxygenations. Several practically promising catalytic syntheses with the aid of Mn aminopyridine catalysts are exemplified.