Effect of bulky substitution on catalytic activity of a manganese salen complex used in biomimetic alkene epoxidation and alkane hydroxylation with sodium periodate

The catalytic activity of Mn(salen)Cl containing tert-pentyl groups at the 3,5-positions of the salen ligand in the epoxidation of alkenes and hydroxylation of alkanes was studied at room temperature, using sodium periodate as an oxygen source. The effects of various axial ligands were investigated in the epoxidation of cyclooctene. Imidazole, as a strong π-donor ligand, was the best axial ligand. The effect of different solvents was studied in the epoxidation of cyclooctene in CH₃CN/H₂O solvent mixture. The epoxidation reactions of cyclooctene by different oxygen donors including NaIO₄, Bu₄NIO₄, KHSO₅, H₂O₂, H₂O₂/urea, NaOCl and tert-BuOOH were also studied and NaIO₄ was selected as oxygen source. The presence of bulky substituents in the 3,5-positions of the salen ligand was found to increase the catalytic activity of this complex.