Chiral polymeric salen catalyst, and a process for preparing chiral compounds from racemic epoxides by using them

A method for preparing chiral polymeric salen catalyst of formula (1) comprising the following steps:

• reaction of phenol derivative of formula (2) with diamine derivative of formula (3) to produce polymeric salen ligand of formula (4);
• and
• introduction of a center metal (M) and counter ions (Z) to the obtained polymeric salen catalyst of formula (1),
• wherein
• R1, R2, R3, X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, Y1, and Y2 represent individually a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, halogen, hydroxy, amino, thiol, nitro, amine, amide, carbonyl, carboxyl, silyl, ether, thioether, salenoether, ketone, aldehyde, ester, phosphoryl, phosphonate, phosphine, sulfonyl, or (CH2)k—R4,
• where R4 is phenyl, cycloalkyl, or cycloalkenyl,
• k is an integer of 0 to 8, and
• any two of R1, R2, or R3, can be bonded to each other to form a carbocycle containing 4 to 10 atoms;
• M represents a metal atom chosen from Co, Cr, V, Fe, Mo, W, and Ru;
• Z represents PF6, or BF4;
• m is an integer of 8 to 20;
• n is an integer of 1 to 6;
• and
• with the proviso that R3 is not a hydrogen atom, halogen, hydroxy, amino, nitro, amine or amide.