Synthesis and crystal structure of bis-[(4S,5S)-4,5-dihydro-4,5-diphenyl-2-(2 '-oxidophenyl-chi O)oxazole-chi N] copper(II) and its application in the asymmetric Baeyer-Villiger reaction

Two new oxazolines (3 and 4) and their copper complexes (5 and 6) were synt hesized. The four compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and H- 1-NMR, IR, MS spectrometry. The molecular structure of compound 6 was deter mined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The four coordinate ato ms [N(1), N(2), O(2), O(4)] and the central metal atom (Cu) form a saddle c onfiguration. Compounds 5 and 6 were found to be moderately effective in th e catalytic asymmetric Baeyer-Villiger reaction of 2-phenylcyclohexanone. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.