Design of a robust Ru(salen) complex: aziridination with improved turnover number using N-arylsulfonyl azides as precursors.

A new robust fluorinated (OC)Ru(salen) complex was designed on the basis of an X-ray structure of its parent complex to show improved turnover numbers (up to 878) and enantioselectivities (up to 99%) in aziridination reactions using p-toluenesulfonyl (Ts) or p-nitrobenzenesulfonyl (Ns) azide as the nitrene precursor; the latter is synthetically advantageous since the Ns group is N-protecting and can be removed under mild conditions.