Process for epoxidising prochiral olefins and a catalyst therefor and intermediates for making the catalyst

摘要

PCT No. PCT/EP95/00370 Sec. 371 Date Aug. 5, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Aug. 5, 1996 PCT Filed Feb. 1, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO95/21172 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 10, 1995A process for enantioselectively epoxidising a prochiral olefin, which process comprises reacting a prochiral olefin with a source of oxygen in the presence of a salen catalyst and a source of an electron donating ligand, characterized in that the donor ligand is isoquinoline N-oxide or a compound having donor ligand activity and having substantially the same solubility characteristics as isoquinoline N-oxide.