Synthetic, spectral and catalytic activity studies of ruthenium bipyridine and terpyridine complexes: Implications in the mechanism of the ruthenium(pyridine-2,6-bisoxazoline)(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate)-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of olefins utilizing H2O2

Various Ru(L₁)(L₂) (1) complexes (L₁ = 2,2′-bipyridines, 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines, 6-(4S)-4-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl-2,2′-bipyridinyl or 2,2′-bipyridinyl-6-carboxylate; L₂ = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate, pyridine-2-carboxylate or 2,2′-bipyridinyl-6-carboxylate) have been synthesized (or in situ generated) and tested on epoxidation of olefins utilizing 30% aqueous H₂O₂. The complexes containing pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate show extraordinarily high catalytic activity. Based on the stereoselective performance of chiral ruthenium complexes containing non-racemic 2,2′-bipyridines including 6-(4S)-4-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl]-2,2′]bipyridinyl new insights on the reaction intermediates and reaction pathway of the ruthenium-catalyzed enantioselective epoxidation are proposed. In addition, a simplified protocol for epoxidation of olefins using urea hydrogen peroxide complex as oxidizing agent has been developed.