Electrochemical Os-Catalyzed Asymmetric Dihydroxylation of Olefins with Sharpless' Ligand

Torii, S.; Liu, P.; Tanaka, H. Chem. Lett. 1995, 319.

Asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefins using Sharpless' ligand in the presence of potassium osmate [K₂OsO₂(OH)₄] has been attained by recycling use of a catalytic amount of potassium ferricyanide [K₃Fe(CN)₆] in electrolysis media. The prominent advantage of the electrooxidation method is that minimum use of reoxidizing agent as well as K₂OsO₂(OH)₄ may cause to improve enantioselectivities in comparison with the case of stoichiometric oxidant systems.