Organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation of olefins by chiral ketones.

Chiral ketones have been shown to be effective organocatalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of olefins with broad substrate scope. High enantioselectivity has been obtained for a wide variety of trans and trisubstituted olefins, as well as a number of cis olefins, with encouragingly high ee's for some terminal olefins. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction can be rationalized by a spiro transition state model.