Highly efficient aerobic epoxidation of cyclic olefins in mild conditions by a novel binuclear manganese(II) complex containing N-(4-nitrophenyl)picolinamide ligand

• Structural study of a novel binuclear Mn(II) complex
• Evaluation of catalyst in Mukaiyama epoxidation reaction
• Eliciting the higher efficiency in aerobic epoxidation of cyclic olefins

A novel binuclear Mn(II) complex based on a para-nitro substituted amidic ligand (N-(4-nitrophenyl)picolinamide) has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. This complex shows a high degree of conversion and epoxide selectivity in Mukaiyama aerobic epoxidation reactions of cyclic olefins in mild conditions.