Catalysis of oxo transfer to prochiral sulfides by oxovanadium(V) compounds that model the active center of haloperoxidases

A new class of vanadium-based chiral catalysts—trigonal-bipyramidal oxovanadium(V) complexes containing chiral tridentate amino-bis(alcoholate) ligands—modeling the active center of vanadate-dependent haloperoxidases have been employed in the chiral induction of oxo transfer, by organic hydroperoxides, to prochiral thioethers to yield chiral sulfoxides (see scheme). Activation of the peroxide is achieved by coordination to vanadium