Highly enantioselective CH oxidation of vic-Diols with Shi's oxazolidinone dioxiranes

reaction: see text] Through an analogical study of the transition states of CH oxidation and asymmetric epoxidation of terminal alkenes, the first dioxirane-mediated catalytic highly enantioselective CH oxidation method was realized with Shi's oxazolidinone ketone derivatives. Very good enantioselectivity (up to 92% ee) may be obtained for both asymmetrization of meso vic-diols and kinetic resolution of racemic vic-diols.