Gif chemistry: The present situation

A Mononuclear Cyclopentadiene–Iron Complex Grafted in the Supercages of HY Zeolite: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity

The reaction of ferrocene with the acidic hydroxy groups in the supercages of zeolite HY dehydrated at 673 K and the reactivity of the resultant surface species towards CO and O(2) were investigated by temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) and reduction (TPR) and IR, X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (XAFS), and X-ray photoelectron (XP) spectroscopy. In situ FTIR, TPD, TPR, and chemical analysis reveal that the Cp(2)Fe molecule adsorbed on the zeolite surface loses one cyclopentadienyl group under vacuum at 423 K, which leads to the formation of a well-defined mononuclear surface Fe-C(5)H(6) complex grafted to two acidic sites and one ([triple bond]Si-O-Si[triple bond]) unit, as confirmed by the lack of Fe-Fe contributions in the EXAFS spectra. Each iron atom is coordinated, on average, to three oxygen atoms of the zeolite surface with a Fe--O distance of 2.00 A and to five carbon atoms with a Fe--C distance of 2.09 A. IR spectra indicate that the cyclopentadiene-iron species grafted on the surface of the zeolite is quite stable in vacuo or under an inert or hydrogen atmosphere below 423 K, and is also relatively stable under oxygen at room temperature. However, the cyclopentadiene ligand readily reacts with CO to form a compound containing carbonyl at 323 K, and even at room temperature. The single carbonyl band in the IR spectra provides evidence for the nearly uniform formation of a cyclopentadiene-iron species on the surface of the zeolite.

High-valent iron in chemical and biological oxidations

Various aspects of the reactivity of iron(IV) in chemical and biological systems are reviewed. Accumulated evidence shows that the ferryl species [Fe(IV)O](2+) can be formed under a variety of conditions including those related to the ferrous ion-hydrogen peroxide system known as Fenton's reagent. Early evidence that such a species could hydroxylate typical aliphatic C-H bonds included regioselectivities and stereospecificities for cyclohexanol hydroxylation that could not be accounted for by a freely diffusing hydroxyl radical. Iron(IV) porphyrin complexes are also found in the catalytic cycles of cytochrome P450 and chloroperoxidase. Model oxo-iron(IV) porphyrin complexes have shown reactivity similar to the proposed enzymatic intermediates. Mechanistic studies using mechanistically diagnostic substrates have implicated a radical rebound scenario for aliphatic hydroxylation by cytochrome P450. Likewise, several non-heme diiron hydroxylases, AlkB (Omega-hydroxylase), sMMO (soluble methane monooxygenase), XylM (xylene monooxygenase) and T4moH (toluene monooxygenase) all show clear indications of radical rearranged products indicating that the oxygen rebound pathway is a ubiquitous mechanism for hydrocarbon oxygenation by both heme and non-heme iron enzymes.

The reaction of [Fe(pic)3] with hydrogen peroxide: a UV-visible and EPR spectroscopic study (Hpic = picolinic acid)

The Gif family of catalysts, based on an iron salt and O2 or H2O2 in pyridine, allows the oxygenation of cyclic saturated hydrocarbons to ketones and alcohols under mild conditions. The reaction between [Fe(pic)3] and hydrogen peroxide in pyridine under GoAgg(III)(Fe(III)/Hpic catalyst) conditions was investigated by UV-visible spectrophotometry. Reactions were monitored at 430 and 520 nm over periods ranging from a few minutes to several hours at 20 degrees C. A number of kinetically stable intermediates were detected, and their relevance to the processes involved in the assembly of the active GoAgg(III) catalyst was determined by measuring the kinetics in the presence and absence of cyclohexane. EPR measurements at 110 K using hydrogen peroxide and t-BuOOH as oxidants were used to further probe these intermediates. Our results indicate that in wet pyridine [Fe(pic)3] undergoes reversible dissociation of one picolinate ligand, establishing an equilibrium with [Fe(pic)2(py)(OH)]. Addition of aqueous hydrogen peroxide rapidly generates the high-spin complex [Fe(pic)2(py)(eta1-OOH)] from the labilised hydroxy species. Subsequently the hydroperoxy species undergoes homolysis of the Fe-O bond, generating HOO. and [Fe(pic)2(py)2], the active oxygenation catalyst.

Selective Oxygenation of Ring-Substituted Toluenes with Electron-Donating and -Withdrawing Substituents by Molecular Oxygen via Photoinduced Electron Transfer

A ring-substituted toluene with an electron-withdrawing substituent, p-tolunitrile, is oxygenated by molecular oxygen to yield the corresponding aldehyde with tetrafluoro-p-dicyanobenzene as a photocatalyst under photoirradiation with an Hg lamp (lambda > 300 nm). The oxygenation of a ring-substituted toluene with an electron-donating substituent, p-xylene, by molecular oxygen is also achieved with 10-methyl-9-phenylacridinium ion as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation, yielding p-tolualdehyde exclusively as the final oxygenated product. Both the oxygenation reactions are initiated by photoinduced electron transfer from the ring-substituted toluene to the singlet excited state of the photocatalyst. The reason for the high selectivity in the photocatalytic oxygenation of various toluene derivatives by molecular oxygen is discussed on the basis of the photoinduced electron transfer mechanism that does not involve the autoxidation process (radical chain reactions). The reactive intermediates in the photocatalytic cycle are successfully detected as the transient absorption spectra and the electron spin resonance spectra.

Aerobic organocatalytic photoinitiated arene oxidations: application to electron transfer initiated cyclization reactions

[reaction: see text] Electron transfer initiated oxidative cyclization reactions can be effected by catalytic amounts of N-methylquinolinium hexafluorophosphate through photoirradiation in the presence of dioxygen. Solid sodium thiosulfate serves as an effective reducing agent to remove the reactive oxygen species formed from catalyst regeneration and radical coupling reactions with O(2), allowing these cyclizations to proceed efficiently on preparatively useful scales.

Molecular sieve catalysts for the regioselective and shape- selective oxyfunctionalization of alkanes in air

Framework-substituted, molecular-sieve, aluminophosphate, microporous solids are the centerpieces of a new approach to the aerobic oxyfunctionalization of saturated hydrocarbons. The sieves, and the few percent of the Al(III) sites within them that are replaced by catalytically active, transition-metal ions in high oxidation states (Co(III), Mn(III), Fe(III)), are designed so as to allow free access of oxygen in to and out of the interior of these high-area solids. Certain metal-substituted, molecular sieves permit only end-on approach of linear alkanes to the active centers, thereby favoring enhanced reactivity of the terminal methyl groups. By optimizing cage dimension, with respect to that of the hydrocarbon reactant, as well as adjusting the average separation of active centers within a cage, and by choosing the sieve with the appropriate pore aperture, highly selective conversions such as n-hexane to hexanoic acid or adipic acid, and cyclohexane to cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, or adipic acid, may be effected at low temperature, heterogeneously in air.

The concept of docking and protecting groups in biohydroxylation

The hydroxylation of unactivated carbon atoms employing methods developed in the realms of classical organic chemistry is difficult to achieve and the processes available lack the degree of chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivity required for organic synthesis. To improve this situation, the concept of docking/protecting groups should enable the organic chemist to employ biohydroxylation as an easy tool for preparative work. Similar to the common practice of using protective groups in organic chemistry, a docking/protecting (d/p) group is introduced first, then the biotransformation is performed, and finally the d/p group is removed. The aim of this concept is not only to avoid time consuming microorganism screening methods, but also to improve hydroxylation position predictability, prevent undesired side reactions, aid substrate detection, and product recovery. This approach is successfully applied to carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols.