Manganese-Catalyzed Dihydroxylation and Epoxidation of Olefins

The oxidation of alkenes to epoxides and diols is a key functional group transformation in organic chemistry opening the way to a wide range of further derivatizations. Achieving these transformations with atom efficiency necessitates the use of catalysts, and in this aspect manganese complexes have stood out over the last decades for the enantioselectivities that can be achieved and the often high turnover numbers and frequencies possible. In this chapter, the scope of manganese-catalyzed oxidation of alkenes is discussed from the perspective of mechanism with the goal of showing the diversity in reactivity that is already apparent.