ChemInform Abstract: PaaSicats: Powerful Catalysts for Asymmetric Epoxidation of Enones. Novel Syntheses of α-Arylpropanoic Acids Including (S)-Fenoprofen

Application of the recently developed silica-adsorbed polyleucine catalysts to the enantioselective epoxidation of two enones is reported. Treatment of these epoxides with trimethylaluminium in moist dichloromethane generates the α-hydroxy-β-methyl-ketones, with inversion of configuration. Diastereoselective reduction of the ketone moiety followed by oxidative cleavage generates α-arylpropanoic acids.