New mannose-derived ketones as organocatalysts for enantioselective dioxirane-mediated epoxidation of arylalkenes. Part 3: Chiral ketones from sugars

New d-arabino-hexopyranosid-3-uloses were synthesized by a simple method from mannopyranoside derivatives. The common skeleton possesses a tunable alkoxy group as steric sensor on carbon 2 of the sugar. The new ketones were employed in the dioxirane-mediated epoxidation of a range of trans- and trisubstituted arylalkenes giving enantiomeric excesses from low to good (30–90%). The effect of the size of the steric sensor on the enantioselectivity was also studied. The least bulky group (methoxy group) enhanced the stereoselectivity (up to 90% ee toward triphenylethylene).