Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with arabinose-derived ketones containing a cyclohexane-1,2-diacetal

The effect of diol blocking groups, cyclohexane-1,2-diacetal verses butane-1,2-diacetal, on the asymmetric epoxidation of trans- and cis-alkenes by arabinose-derived ketones is reported. The ketone catalysts with a cyclohexane-1,2-acetal display similar asymmetric induction as those catalysts with a butane-1,2-diacetal in most cases. For (E)-1-benzyloxy-4-hexene, the ee of the enantioselective epoxidation has reached 61% with the cyclohexane-1,2-dineopentyl acetal ketone catalyst.