Non-heme oxoiron(V) intermediates in chemo-, regio- and stereoselective oxidation of organic substrates

Synthesis of Iron(IV) Alkynylide Complexes and Their Reactivity to Form 1,3-Diynes

The isolation of thermally unstable and highly reactive organoiron(IV) complexes is a challenge for synthetic chemists. In particular, the number of examples where the C-based ligand is not part of the chelating ligand remains scarce. These compounds are of interest because they could pave the way to designing catalytic cycles of bond forming reactions proceeding via organoiron(IV) intermediates. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, of a family of alkynylferrates(III) and Fe(IV) alkynylide complexes. The alkynylferrates(III) are formed by transmetalation of the Fe(III) precursor [(N3N')FeIII] (N3N'3- is tris(N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-2-amidoethyl)amine) with lithium alkynylides, and their further one-electron oxidation enables the synthesis of the corresponding Fe(IV) alkynylides. The electronic structure of this family of organometallic Fe(III) and Fe(IV) complexes has been thoroughly investigated by spectroscopic methods (EPR, NMR, 57Fe Mössbauer, X-Ray absorption (XAS) and emission (XES) spectroscopies) and theoretical calculations. While alkynylferrates(III) are sluggish to engage into C-C bond forming processes, the Fe(IV) alkynylides react to afford 1,3-diynes at room temperature. A bimolecular reductive elimination from a bimetallic Fe(IV) intermediate to form the 1,3-diynes is proposed based on the mechanistic investigations performed.

Stereoelectronic Tuning of Bioinspired Nonheme Iron(IV)-Oxo Species by Amide Groups in Primary and Secondary Coordination Spheres for Selective Oxygenation Reactions

Two mononuclear iron(II) complexes, [(6-amide2-BPMEN)FeII](OTf)2 (1) and [(6-amide-Me-BPMEN)FeII(OTf)](OTf) (2), supported by two BPMEN-derived (BPMEN = N1,N2-dimethyl-N1,N2-bis(pyridine-2-yl-methyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) ligands bearing one or two amide functionalities have been isolated to study their reactivity in the oxygenation of C-H and C═C bonds using isopropyl 2-iodoxybenzoate (iPr-IBX ester) as the oxidant. Both 1 and 2 contain six-coordinate high-spin iron(II) centers in the solid state and in solution. The 6-amide2-BPMEN ligand stabilizes an S = 1 iron(IV)-oxo intermediate, [(6-amide2-BPMEN)FeIV(O)]2+ (1A). The oxidant (1A) oxygenates the C-H and C═C bonds with a high selectivity. Oxidant 1A, upon treatment with 2,6-lutidine, is transformed into another oxidant [{(6-amide2-BPMEN)-(H)}FeIV(O)]+ (1B) through deprotonation of an amide group, resulting in a stronger equatorial ligand field and subsequent stabilization of the triplet ground state. In contrast, no iron-oxo species could be observed from complex 2 and [(6-Me2-BPMEN)FeII(OTf)2] (3) under similar experimental conditions. The iron(IV)-oxo oxidant 1A shows the highest A/K selectivity in cyclohexane oxidation and 3°/2° selectivity in adamantane oxidation reported for any synthetic nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes. Theoretical investigation reveals that the hydrogen bonding interaction between the -NH group of the noncoordinating amide group and Fe═O core smears out the equatorial charge density, reducing the triplet-quintet splitting, and thus helping complex 1A to achieve better reactivity.

Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous silica supported metallosalphen-azobenzene complexes: efficient photochromic heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce KA oil

The oxidation of cyclohexane to produce KA oil (cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol) is important industrially but faces challenges such as low cyclohexane conversion at high KA oil selectivity, and difficult catalyst recyclability. This work reports the synthesis and evaluation of new heterogeneous catalysts consisting of Co(ii), Mn(ii), Ni(ii) and Cu(ii) salphen-azobenzene complexes [ML1] immobilized on amino-functionalized mesoporous silica (SBA-15, MCM-41, MCM-48) through coordination bonding. In the first step, the salphen-azobenzene ligand was synthesized and complexed with Co, Mn, Ni and Cu metal ions. In the second step, aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was grafted onto the surface of different types of commercial mesoporous silica. The immobilization of [ML1] onto the mesoporous silica surface and the thermal stability of the obtained materials were confirmed using different characterization techniques such as FT-IR, powder XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, and TGA. The obtained results revealed high dispersion of [ML1] through the silica surface. The catalytic activity of the prepared materials Silica-N-ML1 was evaluated on the cyclohexane oxidation to produce KA oil using various oxidants. The cis-trans isomerization of the azobenzene upon UV irradiation was found to affect the catalytic performance of Silica-N-ML1. The cis isomer of SBA-15-N-CoL1 exhibited the highest cyclohexane conversion (93%) and KA selectivity (92%) under mild conditions (60 °C, 6 h) using m-CPBA as oxidant. Moreover, The SBA-15-N-CoL1 showed high stability during four successive cycles.

A synthetically useful catalytic system for aliphatic C-H oxidation with a nonheme cobalt complex and m-CPBA

We report herein a synthetically useful catalytic system for aliphatic C-H oxidation with a mononuclear nonheme cobalt(II) complex and m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA). Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that a high-valent cobalt-oxygen species (e.g., cobalt(IV)-oxo or cobalt(III)-oxyl) is the oxidant that effects C-H oxidation via a rate-determining hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) step.

Functional Model of Compound II of Cytochrome P450: Spectroscopic Characterization and Reactivity Studies of a FeIV-OH Complex

Herein, we show that the reaction of a mononuclear FeIII(OH) complex (1) with N-tosyliminobenzyliodinane (PhINTs) resulted in the formation of a FeIV(OH) species (3). The obtained complex 3 was characterized by an array of spectroscopic techniques and represented a rare example of a synthetic FeIV(OH) complex. The reaction of 1 with the one-electron oxidizing agent was reported to form a ligand-oxidized FeIII(OH) complex (2). 3 revealed a one-electron reduction potential of -0.22 V vs Fc+/Fc at -15 °C, which was 150 mV anodically shifted than 2 (Ered = -0.37 V vs Fc+/Fc at -15 °C), inferring 3 to be more oxidizing than 2. 3 reacted spontaneously with (4-OMe-C6H4)3C• to form (4-OMe-C6H4)3C(OH) through rebound of the OH group and displayed significantly faster reactivity than 2. Further, activation of the hydrocarbon C-H and the phenolic O-H bond by 2 and 3 was compared and showed that 3 is a stronger oxidant than 2. A detailed kinetic study established the occurrence of a concerted proton-electron transfer/hydrogen atom transfer reaction of 3. Studying one-electron reduction of 2 and 3 using decamethylferrocene (Fc*) revealed a higher ket of 3 than 2. The study established that the primary coordination sphere around Fe and the redox state of the metal center is very crucial in controlling the reactivity of high-valent Fe-OH complexes. Further, a FeIII(OMe) complex (4) was synthesized and thoroughly characterized, including X-ray structure determination. The reaction of 4 with PhINTs resulted in the formation of a FeIV(OMe) species (5), revealing the presence of two FeIV species with isomer shifts of -0.11 mm/s and = 0.17 mm/s in the Mössbauer spectrum and showed FeIV/FeIII potential at -0.36 V vs Fc+/Fc couple in acetonitrile at -15 °C. The reactivity studies of 5 were investigated and compared with the FeIV(OH) complex (3).

Bioinspired Non-Heme Mn Catalysts for Regio- and Stereoselective Oxyfunctionalizations with H2 O2

In recent years, metalloenzymes-mediated highly selective oxidations of organic substrates under mild conditions have been inspiration for developing synthetic bioinspired catalyst systems, capable of conducting such processes in the laboratory (and, in the future, in industry), relying on easy-to-handle and environmentally benign oxidants such as H2 O2 . To date, non-heme manganese complexes with chiral bis-amino-bis-pyridylmethyl and structurally related ligands are considered as possessing the highest synthetic potential, having demonstrated the ability to mediate a variety of chemo- and stereoselective oxidative transformations, such as epoxidations, C(sp3 )-H hydroxylations and ketonizations, oxidative desymmetrizations, kinetic resolutions, etc. Furthermore, in the past few years non-heme Mn based catalysts have become the major platform for studies focused on getting insight into the molecular mechanisms of oxidant activation and (stereo)selective oxygen transfer, testing non-traditional hydroperoxide oxidants, engineering catalytic sites with enzyme-like substrate recognition-based selectivity, exploration of catalytic regioselectivity trends in the oxidation of biologically active substrates of natural origin. This contribution summarizes the progress in manganese catalyzed C-H oxygenative transformations of organic substrates, achieved essentially in the past 5 years (late 2018-2023).

Elusive Active Intermediates and Reaction Mechanisms of ortho-/ipso-Hydroxylation of Benzoic Acid by Hydrogen Peroxide Mediated by Bioinspired Iron(II) Catalysts

Aromatic hydroxylation of benzoic acids (BzOH) to salicylates and phenolates is fundamentally interesting in industrial chemistry. However, key mechanistic uncertainties and dichotomies remain after decades of effort. Herein, the elusive mechanism of the competitive ortho-/ipso-hydroxylation of BzOH by H2O2 mediated by a nonheme iron(II) catalyst was comprehensively investigated using density functional theory calculations. Results revealed that the long-postulated FeV(O)(anti-BzO) oxidant is an FeIV(O)(anti-BzO•) species 2 (anti- and syn- are defined by the orientation of the carboxyl oxygen of BzO to the oxo), which rules out the noted two-oxidant mechanism proposed previously. We propose a new mechanism in which, following the formation of an FeV(O)(syn-BzO) species (3) and its electromer FeIV(O)(syn-BzO•) (3'), 3/3' either converts to salicylate and phenolate via intramolecular self-hydroxylation (route A) or acts as an oxidant to oxygenate another BzOH to generate the same products (route B). In route A, the rotation of the BzO group along the C-O bond forms 2, in which the BzO group is orientated by π-π stacking interactions. An electrophilic ipso-addition forms a phenolate by concomitant decarboxylation or an ortho-attack forms a cationic complex, which readily undergoes an NIH shift and a BzOH-assisted proton shift to form a salicylate. In route B, 3 oxidizes an additional BzOH molecule directed by hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interactions. In both routes, selectivity is determined by the chemical property of the BzO ring. These mechanistic findings provide a clear mechanistic scenario and enrich the knowledge of hydroxylation of aromatic acids.

FeII complexes supported by an iminophosphorane ligand: synthesis and reactivity

The synthesis of iron complexes supported by a mixed phosphine-lutidine-iminophosphorane (PPyNP) ligand was carried out. While bidentate κ2-N,N coordination was observed for FeCl2, pincer coordination modes were adopted at cationic iron centers, either through dechlorination of [LFe(PPyNP)Cl2] (1) or direct coordination of PPyNP to Fe(OTf)2. Reaction with tert-butylisocyanide gave access to the diamagnetic octahedral complex [Fe(PPyNP)(CNtBu)3]X2 (X = OTf (4), Cl (4')). Both 1 and 4 were shown to undergo deprotonation of the phosphinomethyl group, but the resulting complexes were not active for the dehydrogenative coupling of hexan-1-ol. The hydrosilylation of acetophenones was catalyzed at room temperature with 1 mol% of a catalyst generated in situ from cationic PPyNP-supported iron triflate complexes and KHBEt3.

Mononuclear nickel(ii)-flavonolate complexes of tetradentate tripodal 4N ligands as structural and functional models for quercetin 2,4-dioxygenase: structures, spectra, redox and dioxygenase activity

Three new nickel(ii)-flavonolate complexes of the type [Ni(L)(fla)](ClO4) 1-3, where L is the tripodal 4N ligand tris(pyrid-2-ylmethyl)amine (tpa, L1) or (pyrid-2-ylmethyl)bis(6-methylpyrid-2-ylmethyl)amine (6-Me2-tpa, L2) or tris(N-Et-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine (Et-ntb, L3), have been isolated as functional models for Ni(ii)-containing quercetin 2,4-dioxygenase. Single crystal X-ray structures of 1 and 3 reveal that Ni(ii) is involved in π-back bonding with flavonolate (fla-), as evident from enhancement in C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond length upon coordination [H(fla), 1.232(3); 1, 1.245(7); 3, 1.262(8) Å]. More asymmetric chelation of fla- in 3 than in 1 [Δd = (Ni-Ocarbonyl - Ni-Oenolate): 1, 0.126; 3, 0.182 Å] corresponds to lower π-delocalization in 3 with electron-releasing N-Et substituent. The optimized structures of 1-3 and their geometrical isomers have been computed by DFT methods. The HOMO and LUMO, both localized on Ni(ii)-bound fla-, are highly conjugated bonding π- and antibonding π*-orbitals respectively. They are located higher in energy than the Ni(ii)-based MOs (HOMO-1, dx2-y2; HOMO-2/6, dz2), revealing that the Ni(ii)-bound fla- rather than Ni(ii) would undergo oxidation upon exposure to dioxygen. The results of computational studies, in combination with spectral and electrochemical studies, support the involvement of redox-inactive Ni(ii) in π-back bonding with fla-, tuning the π-delocalization in fla- and hence its activation. Upon exposure to dioxygen, all the flavonolate adducts in DMF solution decompose to produce CO and depside, which then is hydrolyzed to give the corresponding acids at 70 °C. The highest rate of dioxygenase reactivity of 3 (kO2: 3 (29.10 ± 0.16) > 1 (16.67 ± 0.70) > 2 (1.81 ± 0.04 × 10-1 M-1 s-1)), determined by monitoring the disappearance of the LMCT band in the range 440-450 nm, is ascribed to the electron-releasing N-Et substituent on bzim ring, which decreases the π-delocalization in fla- and enhances its activation.

An investigation of steric influence on the reactivity of FeV(O)(OH) tautomers in stereospecific C-H hydroxylation

Two new tetradentate N4 ligands (LN4), LN4 = Me2,Me2PyzTACN (1-(2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) and Me2,MeImTACN (1-((1-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) have been synthesized and their corresponding Fe(II) complexes [Fe^II(Me2,Me2PyzTACN)(CF₃SO₃)₂], 1Pz, and [Fe^II(Me2,MeImTACN)(CF₃SO₃)₂], 1Im, have been prepared and characterized. Complexes 1Pz and 1Im catalyse the hydroxylation of C-H bonds of alkanes with excellent efficiencies, using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. The high H/D kinetic isotope effect values for C-H hydroxylation, large normalized tertiary/secondary C-H (C3/C2) bond selectivities in adamantane oxidation, and high degrees of stereoretention in the oxidation of cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane are indicative of metal-based oxidation processes. The complexes also catalyse the oxidation of cyclooctene to form its corresponding epoxide and syn-diol. For 1Pz the epoxide is the main product, while for the analogous complex 1Im the syn-diol predominates. The active oxidant is proposed to be an [(LN4)Fe^V(O)(OH)]²⁺ species (2Pz, LN4 = Me2,Me2PyzTACN and 2Im, LN4 = Me2,MeImTACN) which may exist in two tautomeric forms related by a proton shift between the oxo and hydroxo ligands. Isotope labelling experiments show that the oxygen atom in the hydroxylated products originates from both water and hydrogen peroxide, and labelling experiments involving oxygen atom transfer to sterically bulky substrates provide indirect information on the steric influence exerted by the two ligands in the relative reactivities of the two hypervalent iron tautomers. Based on these labelling studies, the steric influence exerted by each of the ligands towards the relative reactivity of the oxo ligands of the corresponding pair of Fe(V)(O)(OH) tautomers can be derived. Furthermore, this steric influence can be gauged relative to related complexes/ligands.

Study of Cyclohexane and Methylcyclohexane Functionalization Promoted by Manganese(III) Compounds

Alkane functionalization using safe and low-energy processes is of great interest to industry and academia. Aiming to contribute to the process of saturated hydrocarbon functionalization, we have studied a set of three manganese(III) complexes as catalysts for promoting the oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons (cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide or trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA). The mononuclear manganese(III) compounds were prepared using the ligands H2LMet4 (6,6’-((1,4-diazepane-1,4-diyl)bis(methylene))bis(2,4-dimethylphenol), H2salen (2,2’-((1E,1’E)-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azaneylylidene))bis(methaneylylidene))diphenol) and H2salan (2,2’-((ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanediyl))bis(methylene))diphenol). The catalytic processes were carried out in acetonitrile at 25 and 50 °C for 24 h. The increase in the temperature was important to get a better conversion. The compounds did not promote cyclohexane oxidation in the presence of H2O2. However, they were active in the presence of TCCA, employing a ratio of 1000:333:1 equivalents of the substrate:TCCA:catalyst. The best catalytic activity was shown by the compound [Mn(salen)Cl], reaching conversions of 14.5 ± 0.3% (25 °C) and 26.3 ± 1.1% (50 °C) (yield for chlorocyclohexane) and up to 12.1 ± 0.5% (25 °C) and 29.8 ± 2.2% (50 °C) (total yield for the mixture of the products 1-chloro-4-methylcyclohexane, 3-methylcyclohexene and 1-methylcyclohexene). The interaction of the catalysts with TCCA was studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), suggesting that the catalysts [Mn(LMet4)Cl] and [Mn(salan)Cl] act via a different mechanism from that observed for [Mn(salen)Cl].

C(sp3)-H oxidation and chlorination catalysed by a bioinspired pincer iron(III) complex

A pincer iron(III) catalyst for the oxidation and chlorination of C(sp³)-H bonds was developed. Oxidation of a diagnostic substrate cis-decalin implies that a long-lived carbon-centred radical is involved. Mechanistic studies suggest that an Fe-oxo species could be responsible for the rate-determining C-H activation step. This report expands the scope of non-heme catalysts for C-H functionalisation.

Chemoselective Oxyfunctionalization of Functionalized Benzylic Compounds with a Manganese Catalyst

Whilst allowing for easy access to synthetically versatile motifs and for modification of bioactive molecules, the chemoselective benzylic oxidation reactions of functionalized alkyl arenes remain challenging. Reported in this study is a new non-heme Mn catalyst stabilized by a bipiperidine-based tetradentate ligand, which enables methylene oxidation of benzylic compounds by H2 O2 , showing high activity and excellent chemoselectivity under mild conditions. The protocol tolerates an unprecedentedly wide range of functional groups, including carboxylic acid and derivatives, ketone, cyano, azide, acetate, sulfonate, alkyne, amino acid, and amine units, thus providing a low-cost, more sustainable and robust pathway for the facile synthesis of ketones, increase of complexity of organic molecules, and late-stage modification of drugs.

Synthesis of FeIII and FeIV Cyanide Complexes Using Hypervalent Iodine Reagents as Cyano-Transfer One-Electron Oxidants

We disclose a new reactivity mode for electrophilic cyano λ3 -iodanes as group transfer one-electron oxidants to synthesize FeIII and FeIV cyanide complexes. The inherent thermal instability of high-valent FeIV compounds without π-donor ligands (such as oxido (O2- ), imido (RN2- ) or nitrido (N3- )) makes their isolation and structural characterization a very challenging task. We report the synthesis of an FeIV cyanide complex [(N3 N')FeCN] (4) by two consecutive single electron transfer (SET) processes from FeII precursor [(N3 N')FeLi(THF)] (1) with cyanobenziodoxolone (CBX). The FeIV complex can also be prepared by reaction of [(N3 N')FeIII ] (3) with CBX. In contrast, the oxidation of FeII with 1-cyano-3,3-dimethyl-3-(1H)-1,2-benziodoxole (CDBX) enables the preparation of FeIII cyanide complex [(N3 N')FeIII (CN)(Li)(THF)3 ] (2-LiTHF ). Complexes 4 and 2-LiTHF have been structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and their electronic structure has been examined by Mössbauer, EPR spectroscopy, and computational analyses.

Efficient Oxidation of Cyclohexane over Bulk Nickel Oxide under Mild Conditions

Nickel oxide powder was prepared by simple calcination of nickel nitrate hexahydrate at 500 °C for 5 h and used as a catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce the cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol—KA oil. Molecular oxygen (O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), t-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP) and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) were evaluated as oxidizing agents under different conditions. m-CPBA exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to other oxidants. Using 1.5 equivalent of m-CPBA as an oxygen donor agent for 24 h at 70 °C, in acetonitrile as a solvent, NiO powder showed exceptional catalytic activity for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce KA oil. Compared to different catalytic systems reported in the literature, for the first time, about 85% of cyclohexane was converted to products, with 99% KA oil selectivity, including around 87% and 13% selectivity toward cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, respectively. The reusability of NiO catalyst was also investigated. During four successive cycles, the conversion of cyclohexane and the selectivity toward cyclohexanone were decreased progressively to 63% and 60%, respectively, while the selectivity toward cyclohexanol was increased gradually to 40%.

Reactivity vs. Selectivity of Biomimetic Catalyst Systems of the Fe(PDP) Family through the Nature and Spin State of the Active Iron-Oxygen Species

Catalytic approaches to late-stage creation of new C-O bonds, especially via oxygenation of particular C-H groups in complex organic molecules, provide challenging tools for the synthesis of biologically active compounds and candidate drugs. In the last decade, significant efforts were invested in designing bioinspired iron based catalyst systems, capable of conducting selective oxidations of organic compounds. The key role of the oxygen-transferring high-valent iron-oxygen species in selective oxygenation is now well established; the next logical step would be gaining insight into the factors governing the oxidation chemo- and stereoselectivity, in relation to the peculiarities of their electronic structure, which would allow introducing the desired level of predictability into those catalytic transformations. In this Personal Account we analyze recent data on the reactivity of bioinspired formally oxoiron(V) catalytically active sites toward organic substrates having C=C and C(sp³ )-H groups. While the majority of reported oxoiron(V) active species are low-spin (S=1/2) complexes, the presence of strong electron-donating groups (NR₁ R₂ ) in the ligand backbone favors the high-spin (S=3/2) ground state. Remarkably, the high-spin perferryl species exhibit higher chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity in the oxidations than their low-spin counterparts, thus witnessing the significance of these subtle electronic effects for the selectivity of oxidations conducted by bioinspired catalysts of the Fe(PDP) family.

Which is the real oxidant in the competitive ligand self-hydroxylation and substrate oxidation, a biomimetic iron(II)-hydroperoxo species or an oxo-iron(IV)-hydroxy one?

Nonheme iron(II)-hydroperoxo species (FeII-(η2-OOH)) 1 and the concomitant oxo-iron(IV)-hydroxyl one 2 are proposed as the key intermediates of a large class of 2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenases (e.g., isopenicillin N synthase). Extensive...

Enthalpy-Entropy Compensation Effect in Oxidation Reactions by Manganese(IV)-Oxo Porphyrins and Nonheme Iron(IV)-Oxo Models

"Enthalpy-Entropy Compensation Effect" (EECE) is ubiquitous in chemical reactions; however, such an EECE has been rarely explored in biomimetic oxidation reactions. In this study, six manganese(IV)-oxo complexes bearing electron-rich and -deficient porphyrins are synthesized and investigated in various oxidation reactions, such as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), oxygen atom transfer (OAT), and electron-transfer (ET) reactions. First, all of the six Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins are highly reactive in the HAT, OAT, and ET reactions. Interestingly, we have observed a reversed reactivity in the HAT and OAT reactions by the electron-rich and -deficient Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins, depending on reaction temperatures, but not in the ET reactions; the electron-rich Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins are more reactive than the electron-deficient Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins at high temperature (e.g., 0 °C), whereas at low temperature (e.g., -60 °C), the electron-deficient Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins are more reactive than the electron-rich Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins. Such a reversed reactivity between the electron-rich and -deficient Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins depending on reaction temperatures is rationalized with EECE; that is, the lower is the activation enthalpy, the more negative is the activation entropy, and vice versa. Interestingly, a unified linear correlation between the activation enthalpies and the activation entropies is observed in the HAT and OAT reactions of the Mn(IV)-oxo porphyrins. Moreover, from the previously reported HAT reactions of nonheme Fe(IV)-oxo complexes, a linear correlation between the activation enthalpies and the activation entropies is also observed. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first detailed mechanistic study of EECE in the oxidation reactions by synthetic high-valent metal-oxo complexes.

Catalytic Oxidations with Meta-Chloroperoxybenzoic Acid (m-CPBA) and Mono- and Polynuclear Complexes of Nickel: A Mechanistic Outlook

Selective catalytic functionalization of organic substrates using peroxides as terminal oxidants remains a challenge in modern chemistry. The high complexity of interactions between metal catalysts and organic peroxide compounds complicates the targeted construction of efficient catalytic systems. Among the members of the peroxide family, m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) exhibits quite complex behavior, where numerous reactive species could be formed upon reaction with a metal complex catalyst. Although m-CPBA finds plenty of applications in fine organic synthesis and catalysis, the factors that discriminate its decomposition routes under catalytic conditions are still poorly understood. The present review covers the advances in catalytic C–H oxidation and olefine epoxidation with m-CPBA catalyzed by mono- and polynuclear complexes of nickel, a cheap and abundant first-row transition metal. The reaction mechanisms are critically discussed, with special attention to the O–O bond splitting route. Selectivity parameters using recognized model hydrocarbon substrates are summarized and important factors that could improve further catalytic studies are outlined.

Low-Spin and High-Spin Perferryl Intermediates in Non-Heme Iron Catalyzed Oxidations of Aliphatic C-H Groups

The selectivity patterns of iron catalysts of the Fe(PDP) family in aliphatic C-H oxidation with H₂ O₂ have been studied (PDP=N,N'-bis(pyridine-2-ylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyrrolidine). Cyclohexane, adamantane, 1-bromo-3,7-dimethyloctane, 3,7-dimethyloctyl acetate, (-)-acetoxy-p-menthane, and cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane were used as substrates. The studied catalyst systems generate low-spin (S=1/2) oxoiron(V) intermediates or high-spin (S=3/2) oxoiron(V) intermediates, depending on the electron-donating ability of remote substituents at the pyridine rings. The low-spin perferryl intermediates demonstrate lower stability and higher reactivity toward aliphatic C-H groups of cyclohexane than their high-spin congeners, according to the measured self-decay and second-order rate constants k₁ and k₂ . Unexpectedly, there appears to be no uniform correlation between the spin state of the oxoiron(V) intermediates, and the chemo- and regioselectivity of the corresponding catalyst systems in the oxidation of the considered substrates. This contrasts with the asymmetric epoxidations by the same catalyst systems, in which case the epoxidation enantioselectivity increases when passing from the systems featuring the more reactive low-spin perferryl intermediates to those with their less reactive high-spin congeners.

Enhancing Chemo- and Stereoselectivity in C-H Bond Oxygenation with H2O2 by Nonheme High-Spin Iron Catalysts: The Role of Lewis Acid and Multimetal Centers

Spin states of iron often direct the selectivity in oxidation catalysis by iron complexes using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) on an oxidant. While low-spin iron(III) hydroperoxides display stereoselective C-H bond hydroxylation, the reactions are nonstereoselective with high-spin iron(II) catalysts. The catalytic studies with a series of high-spin iron(II) complexes of N4 ligands with H₂O₂ and Sc³⁺ reported here reveal that the Lewis acid promotes catalytic C-H bond hydroxylation with high chemo- and stereoselectivity. This reactivity pattern is observed with iron(II) complexes containing two cis-labile sites. The enhanced selectivity for C-H bond hydroxylation catalyzed by the high-spin iron(II) complexes in the presence of Sc³⁺ parallels that of the low-spin iron catalysts. Furthermore, the introduction of multimetal centers enhances the activity and selectivity of the iron catalyst. The study provides insights into the development of peroxide-dependent bioinspired catalysts for the selective oxygenation of C-H bonds without the restriction of using iron complexes of strong-field ligands.

Ligand Architecture Perturbation Influences the Reactivity of Nonheme Iron(V)-Oxo Tetraamido Macrocyclic Ligand Complexes: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

Iron(V)-oxo complexes bearing negatively charged tetraamido macrocyclic ligands (TAMLs) have provided excellent opportunities to investigate the chemical properties and the mechanisms of oxidation reactions of mononuclear nonheme iron(V)-oxo intermediates. Herein, we report the differences in chemical properties and reactivities of two iron(V)-oxo TAML complexes differing by modification on the "Head" part of the TAML framework; one has a phenyl group at the "Head" part (1), whereas the other has four methyl groups replacing the phenyl ring (2). The reactivities of 1 and 2 in both C-H bond activation reactions, such as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) of 1,4-cyclohexadiene, and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactions, such as the oxidation of thioanisole and its derivatives, were compared experimentally. Under identical reaction conditions, 1 showed much greater reactivity than 2, such as a 10²-fold decrease in HAT and a 10⁵-fold decrease in OAT by replacing the phenyl group (i.e., 1) with four methyl groups (i.e., 2). Then, density functional theory calculations were performed to rationalize the reactivity differences between 1 and 2. Computations reproduced the experimental findings well and revealed that the replacement of the phenyl group in 1 with four methyl groups in 2 not only increased the steric hindrance but also enlarged the energy gap between the electron-donating orbital and the electron-accepting orbital. These two factors, steric hindrance and the orbital energy gap, resulted in differences in the reduction potentials of 1 and 2 and their reactivities in oxidation reactions.

Oxidation of Organic Compounds with Peroxides Catalyzed by Polynuclear Metal Compounds

The review describes articles that provide data on the synthesis and study of the properties of catalysts for the oxidation of alkanes, olefins, and alcohols. These catalysts are polynuclear complexes of iron, copper, osmium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, vanadium. Such complexes for example are: [Fe2(HPTB)(m-OH)(NO3)2](NO3)2·CH3OH·2H2O, where HPTB-¼N,N,N0,N0-tetrakis(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)-2-hydroxo-1,3-diaminopropane; complex [(PhSiO1,5)6]2[CuO]4[NaO0.5]4[dppmO2]2, where dppm-1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane; (2,3-η-1,4-diphenylbut-2-en-1,4-dione)undecacarbonyl triangulotriosmium; phenylsilsesquioxane [(PhSiO1.5)10(CoO)5(NaOH)]; bi- and tri-nuclear oxidovanadium(V) complexes [{VO(OEt)(EtOH)}2(L2)] and [{VO(OMe)(H2O)}3(L3)]·2H2O (L2 = bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)terephthalohydrazide and L3 = tris(2-hydroxybenzylidene)benzene-1,3,5-tricarbohydrazide); [Mn2L2O3][PF6]2 (L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane). For comparison, articles are introduced describing catalysts for the oxidation of alkanes and alcohols with peroxides, which are simple metal salts or mononuclear metal complexes. In many cases, polynuclear complexes exhibit higher activity compared to mononuclear complexes and exhibit increased regioselectivity, for example, in the oxidation of linear alkanes. The review contains a description of some of the mechanisms of catalytic reactions. Additionally presented are articles comparing the rates of oxidation of solvents and substrates under oxidizing conditions for various catalyst structures, which allows researchers to conclude about the nature of the oxidizing species. This review is focused on recent works, as well as review articles and own original studies of the authors.

FeIII and FeII Phosphasalen Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Application for 2-Naphthol Oxidative Coupling

We report on the synthesis and characterization of three iron(III) phosphasalen complexes, [Fe^III (Psalen)(X)] differing in the nature of the counter-anion/exogenous ligand (X^- =Cl^- , NO₃ ^- , OTf^- ), as well as the neutral iron(II) analogue, [Fe^II (Psalen)]. Phosphasalen (Psalen) differs from salen by the presence of iminophosphorane (P=N) functions in place of the imines. All the complexes were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, UV/Vis, EPR, and cyclic voltammetry. The [Fe^II (Psalen)] complex was shown to remain tetracoordinated even in coordinating solvent but surprisingly exhibits a magnetic moment in line with a Fe^II high-spin ground state. For the Fe^III complexes, the higher lability of triflate anion compared to nitrate was demonstrated. As they exhibit lower reduction potentials compared to their salen analogues, these complexes were tested for the coupling of 2-naphthol using O₂ from air as oxidant. In order to shed light on this reaction, the interaction between 2-naphthol and the Fe^III (Psalen) complexes was studied by cyclic voltammetry as well as UV/Vis spectroscopy.

Structural and spectroscopic characterization of an Fe(VI) bis(imido) complex

High-valent iron species are key intermediates in oxidative biological processes, but hexavalent complexes apart from the ferrate ion are exceedingly rare. Here, we report the synthesis and structural and spectroscopic characterization of a stable Fe(VI) complex (3) prepared by facile one-electron oxidation of an Fe(V) bis(imido) (2). Single-crystal x-ray diffraction of 2 and 3 revealed four-coordinate Fe centers with an unusual "seesaw" geometry. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer, x-ray photoelectron, x-ray absorption, and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopies, supported by electronic structure calculations, support a low-spin (S = 1/2) d³ Fe(V) configuration in 2 and a diamagnetic (S = 0) d² Fe(VI) configuration in 3 Their shared seesaw geometry is electronically dictated by a balance of Fe-imido σ- and π-bonding interactions.

Oxidative C-N bond cleavage of (2-pyridylmethyl)amine-based tetradentate supporting ligands in ternary cobalt(ii)-carboxylate complexes

Three mononuclear cobalt(ii)-carboxylate complexes, [(TPA)Co^II(benzilate)]⁺ (1), [(TPA)Co^II(benzoate)]⁺ (2) and [(iso-BPMEN)Co^II(benzoate)]⁺ (3), of N4 ligands (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and iso-BPMEN = N¹,N¹-dimethyl-N²,N²-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) were isolated to investigate their reactivity toward dioxygen. Monodentate (η¹) binding of the carboxylates to the metal centre favours the five-coordinate cobalt(ii) complexes (1-3) for dioxygen activation. Complex 1 slowly reacts with dioxygen to enable the oxidative decarboxylation of the coordinated α-hydroxy acid (benzilate). Prolonged exposure of the reaction solution of 2 to dioxygen results in the formation of [(DPA)Co^III(picolinate)(benzoate)]⁺ (4) and [Co^III(BPCA)₂]⁺ (5) (DPA = di(2-picolyl)amine and HBPCA = bis(2-pyridylcarbonyl)amide), whereas only [(DPEA)Co^III(picolinate)(benzoate)]⁺ (6) (DPEA = N¹,N¹-dimethyl-N²-(pyridine-2-ylmethyl)-ethane-1,2-diamine) is isolated from the final oxidised solution of 3. The modified ligand DPA (or DPEA) is formed via the oxidative C-N bond cleavage of the supporting ligands. Further oxidation of the -CH₂- moiety to -C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)- takes place in the transformation of DPA to HBPCA on the cobalt(ii) centre. Labelling experiments with ¹⁸O₂ confirm the incorporation of oxygen atoms from molecular oxygen into the oxidised products. Mixed labelling studies with ¹⁶O₂ and H₂O¹⁸ strongly support the involvement of water in the C-N bond cleavage pathway. A comparison of the dioxygen reactivity of the cobalt complexes (1-3) with those of several other five-coordinate mononuclear complexes [(TPA)Co^II(X)]^+/2+ (X = Cl, CH₃CN, acetate, benzoylformate, salicylate and phenylpyruvate) establishes the role of the carboxylate co-ligands in the activation of dioxygen and subsequent oxidative cleavage of the supporting ligands by a metal-oxygen oxidant.

Bio-inspired Nonheme Iron Oxidation Catalysis: Involvement of Oxoiron(V) Oxidants in Cleaving Strong C-H Bonds

Nonheme iron enzymes generate powerful and versatile oxidants that perform a wide range of oxidation reactions, including the functionalization of inert C-H bonds, which is a major challenge for chemists. The oxidative abilities of these enzymes have inspired bioinorganic chemists to design synthetic models to mimic their ability to perform some of the most difficult oxidation reactions and study the mechanisms of such transformations. Iron-oxygen intermediates like iron(III)-hydroperoxo and high-valent iron-oxo species have been trapped and identified in investigations of these bio-inspired catalytic systems, with the latter proposed to be the active oxidant for most of these systems. In this Review, we highlight the recent spectroscopic and mechanistic advances that have shed light on the various pathways that can be accessed by bio-inspired nonheme iron systems to form the high-valent iron-oxo intermediates.

Iron- and cobalt-catalyzed C(sp3)–H bond functionalization reactions and their application in organic synthesis

This review highlights the developments in iron and cobalt catalyzed C(sp³)–H bond functionalization reactions with emphasis on their applications in organic synthesis, i.e. natural products and pharmaceuticals synthesis and/or modification.

Computational Exploration of Chiral Iron Porphyrin-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroxylation of Ethylbenzene Where Stereoselectivity Arises from π-π Stacking Interaction

The mechanism and origins of stereoselectivity of chiral iron porphyrin-catalyzed asymmetric hydroxylation of ethylbenzene were explored with density functional theory. The hydrogen atom abstraction is the rate- and stereoselectivity-determining step. In good agreement with experimental results, the formation of the (R)-1-phenylethanol product is found to be the most favorable pathway. The transition state of hydrogen atom abstraction which leads to the (S)-1-phenylethanol product is unfavorable by 1.7 kcal/mol compared to the corresponding transition state which leads to the (R)-1-phenylethanol product. Enantioselectivity arises from an attractive π-π stacking interaction between the phenyl group of ethylbenzene substrate and the naphthyl group of the porphyrin ligand.

Recent advances in catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefins

Asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefinic groups is an extremely important synthetic transformation which has been widely utilized to obtain optically pure pharmaceuticals and other fine chemical products. In recent years, catalyst systems for the asymmetric C=C dihydroxylations have attracted significant interest, the major research efforts being focused on designing environmentally benign catalyst systems. This mini-review summarizes recent progress in the field, surveying both novel, less toxic modifications of the classical osmium-based catalysts, and the highly efficient and enantioselective non-osmium catalyst systems.

The bibliography includes 50 references.

Mild C-H functionalization of alkanes catalyzed by bioinspired copper(ii) cores

Three new copper(ii) coordination compounds formulated as [Cu(H_1.5bdea)₂](hba)·2H₂O (1), [Cu₂(μ-Hbdea)₂(aca)₂]·4H₂O (2), and [Cu₂(μ-Hbdea)₂(μ-bdca)]_n (3) were generated by aqueous medium self-assembly synthesis from Cu(NO₃)₂, N-butyldiethanolamine (H₂bdea) as a main N,O-chelating building block and different carboxylic acids [4-hydroxybenzoic (Hhba), 9-anthracenecarboxylic (Haca), or 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic (H₂bdca) acid] as supporting carboxylate ligands. The structures of products range from discrete mono- (1) or dicopper(ii) (2) cores to a 1D coordination polymer (3), and widen a family of copper(ii) coordination compounds derived from H₂bdea. The obtained compounds were applied as bioinspired homogeneous catalysts for the mild C-H functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons (cyclic and linear C₅-C₈ alkanes). Two model catalytic reactions were explored, namely the oxidation of hydrocarbons with H₂O₂ to a mixture of alcohols and ketones, and the carboxylation of alkanes with CO/S₂O₈^2- to carboxylic acids. Both processes proceed under mild conditions with a high efficiency and the effects of different parameters (e.g., reaction time and presence of acid promoter, amount of catalyst and solvent composition, substrate scope and selectivity features) were studied and discussed in detail. In particular, an interesting promoting effect of water was unveiled in the oxidation of cyclohexane that is especially remarkable in the reaction catalyzed by 3, thus allowing a potential use of diluted, in situ generated solutions of hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the obtained values of product yields (up to 41% based on alkane substrate) are very high when dealing with the C-H functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons and the mild conditions of these catalytic reactions (50-60 °C, H₂O/CH₃CN medium). This study thus contributes to an important field of alkane functionalization and provides a notable example of new Cu-based catalytic systems that can be easily generated by self-assembly from simple and low-cost chemicals.