Asymmetric oxidation of enol phosphates to α-hydroxy ketones by (salen)manganese(III) complex. Effects of the substitution pattern of enol phosphates on the stereochemistry of oxygen transfer

This paper presents a study of enantioselective catalytic oxidation of a variety of differently substituted, cyclic (E) and acyclic (Z)-enol phosphates. The asymmetric oxidation of acyclic (Z)-enol phosphates containing alkoxy substituents in the phosphate group 2a, c, e–g, i, and j and Z-configured enol phosphates containing aryloxy substituents in the phosphate group 2b, d, and h afforded optically active α-hydroxy ketones 4a–j of opposite configuration with good to high enantioselectivity. The influence of electronic and steric effects of the enol phosphate substituents on the stereoselectivity of oxidation was studied.