Highly stereoselective epoxidation with H₂O₂ catalyzed by electron-rich aminopyridine manganese catalysts

Fast, efficient, and highly stereoselective epoxidation with H ₂O₂ is reached by manganese coordination complexes with e-rich aminopyridine tetradentate ligands. It is shown that the electronic properties of these catalysts vary systematically with the stereoselectivity of the O-atom transfer event and exert fine control over the activation of hydrogen peroxide, reducing the amount of carboxylic acid co-catalyst necessary for efficient operation.