On the timing of hydrolysis / reoxidation in the osmium-catalyzed asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefins using potassium ferricyanide as the reoxidant

Hydrolysis is shown to precede reoxidation in the catalytic cycle for the asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefins using potassium ferricyanide as the stoichiometric reoxidant, thereby accounting for the observed absence of a non-enantioselective “second cycle.”