New chiral dioxidomolybdenum(VI) complexes with tridentate Schiff base ligands obtained by monocondensation of 1R,2S(−)-norephedrine with salicylaldehyde and its derivatives were synthesized. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis and by their IR, CD, UV–vis, one- (1H) and two-dimensional (COSY, gHSQC and NOESY) NMR spectra. After optimization of reaction conditions, catalytic activity of these complexes were tested in the oxidation of olefins, i.e. styrene and cyclohexene, using aqueous 30% H2O2 or tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant. Moreover, the dioxidomolybdenum(VI) Schiff base complexes have also ability to catalyze the oxidation of thioanisole to methyl phenyl sulfoxide in presence of aqueous 30% H2O2.