Manganese Salen Compounds Embedded within Cross‐Linked Chiral Polyethylenimine: Asymmetric Epoxidation in an Aqueous Biphasic Medium

Chiral cross‐linked polyethylenimines were used to intercalate Mn III salen catalysts, thereby inducing a chiral environment upon an achiral metal complex. The synzyme, dispersed in water, catalyzes the aqueous biphasic asymmetric epoxidation of styrene derivatives (see structure; L=Cl, OAc, R=isopropyl, phenyl). In the presence of the chiral catalyst there is a significant synergistic effect that increases the enantioselectivity of epoxidation.