Asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins catalyzed by Jacobsen’s catalyst on alkoxyl-modified zirconium poly (styrene-phenylvinylphosphonate)-phosphate (ZPS-PVPA)

•Chiral salen Mn(III) complexes have been immobilized on alkoxyl-modified ZPS-PVPA.•The supported catalysts could furnish superior activities in the absence of NMO.•The supported catalysts could be reused at least nine times.

New chiral Jacobsen’s catalysts grafted onto alkoxyl-modified ZPS-PVPA are synthesized and applied in asymmetric epoxidations of unfunctionalized olefins. Specially, the supported catalysts indicate excellent catalytic activities (conv%, up to 96; sele%, up to 96; ee%, up to >99) in the absence of N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMO) by virtue of the special configurations of the catalysts. The superior stability (recycling for ten times) and the comfortable dispositions in large-scale reactions (such as 200 times) grant the potential application in industry to the heterogeneous catalysts.

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