Chiral urea-catalyzed enantioselective epoxidation of α, β-unsaturated esters

Abstract A highly enantioselective epoxidation of trans-α-cyano-α, β-unsaturated esters has been described by using cinchona alkaloid-derived urea and H2O2 as the organocatalysts and oxidant, giving chiral glycidic ester derivatives containing cyano groups in good yields (up to 95%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). A plausible transition state was also proposed.