Artificial nonheme iron and manganese oxygenases for enantioselective olefin epoxidation and alkane hydroxylation reactions

Controlling Reactivity through Spin Manipulation: Steric Bulkiness of Peroxocobalt(III) Complexes

The intrinsic relationship between spin states and reactivity in peroxocobalt(III) complexes was investigated, specifically focusing on the influence of steric modulation on supporting ligands. Together with the previously reported [CoIII(TBDAP)(O2)]+ (2Tb), which exhibits spin crossover characteristics, two peroxocobalt(III) complexes, [CoIII(MDAP)(O2)]+ (2Me) and [CoIII(ADDAP)(O2)]+ (2Ad), bearing pyridinophane ligands with distinct N-substituents such as methyl and adamantyl groups, were synthesized and characterized. By manipulating the steric bulkiness of the N-substituents, control of spin states in peroxocobalt(III) complexes was demonstrated through various physicochemical analyses. Notably, 2Ad oxidized the nitriles to generate hydroximatocobalt(III) complexes, while 2Me displayed an inability for such oxidation reactions. Furthermore, both 2Ad and 2Tb exhibited similarities in spectroscopic and geometric features, demonstrating spin crossover behavior between S = 0 and S = 1. The steric bulkiness of the adamantyl and tert-butyl group on the axial amines was attributed to inducing a weak ligand field on the cobalt(III) center. Thus, 2Ad and 2Tb are an S = 1 state under the reaction conditions. In contrast, the less bulky methyl group on the amines of 2Me resulted in an S = 0 state. The redox potential of the peroxocobalt(III) complexes was also influenced by the ligand field arising from the steric bulkiness of the N-substituents in the order of 2Me (-0.01 V) < 2Tb (0.29 V) = 2Ad (0.29 V). Theoretical calculations using DFT supported the experimental observations, providing insights into the electronic structure and emphasizing the importance of the spin state of peroxocobalt(III) complexes in nitrile activation.

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.

tert-Butyl as a Functional Group: Non-Directed Catalytic Hydroxylation of Sterically Congested Primary C-H Bonds

The tert-butyl group is a common aliphatic motif extensively employed to implement steric congestion and conformational rigidity in organic and organometallic molecules. Because of the combination of a high bond dissociation energy (~100 kcal mol-1) and limited accessibility, in the absence of directing groups, neither radical nor organometallic approaches are effective for the chemical modification of tert-butyl C-H bonds. Herein we overcome these limits by employing a highly electrophilic manganese catalyst, [Mn(CF3bpeb)(OTf)2], that operates in the strong hydrogen bond donor solvent nonafluoro-tert-butyl alcohol (NFTBA) and catalytically activates hydrogen peroxide to generate a powerful manganese-oxo species that effectively oxidizes tert-butyl C-H bonds. Leveraging on the interplay of steric, electronic, medium and torsional effects, site-selective and product chemoselective hydroxylation of the tert-butyl group is accomplished with broad reaction scope, delivering primary alcohols as largely dominant products in preparative yields. Late-stage hydroxylation at tert-butyl sites is demonstrated on 6 densely functionalized molecules of pharmaceutical interest. This work uncovers a novel disconnection approach, harnessing tert-butyl as a potential functional group in strategic synthetic planning for complex molecular architectures.

Co(II)-N4 Catalysts for the Coupling of CO2 with Epoxides into Cyclic Carbonates: Catalytic Activity, Computational and Kinetic Studies

In this study, we synthesized and characterized a series of cobalt(II) complexes bearing linear tetradentate N4 ligands. These Co(II)-N4 complexes proved to be efficient catalysts for the cycloaddition reaction between carbon dioxide and epoxides even at room temperature and 1 bar pressure of carbon dioxide without the need for solvents or cocatalysts. Furthermore, when combined with (triphenylphosphoranylidene)ammonium chloride (PPNCl) as a cocatalyst, the Co-N4 catalysts exhibited an impressive turnover frequency of up to 41,000 h-1 for coupling of epichlorohydrin/CO2. These Co(II)-N4 catalysts were found to have excellent stability and reusability, retaining their catalytic activity after they were recycled seven times. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided a comprehensive mechanism for the cycloaddition reaction, indicating that the rate-determining step is the epoxide ring opening, in both the presence and absence of PPNCl. Further kinetic studies allow us to determine the activation parameters (ΔH‡, ΔS‡, and ΔG‡ at 25 °C) of the coupling reaction using the Eyring equation. The Gibbs free activation energy obtained from the kinetic studies was in close agreement with that of the DFT calculations. The substituent effect on the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with various substituted styrene oxides was also examined for the first time.

Investigating Ligand Sphere Perturbations on MnIII-Alkylperoxo Complexes

Manganese catalysts that activate hydrogen peroxide carry out several different hydrocarbon oxidation reactions with high stereoselectivity. The commonly proposed mechanism for these reactions involves a key manganese(III)-hydroperoxo intermediate, which decays via O-O bond heterolysis to generate a Mn(V)-oxo species that institutes substrate oxidation. Due to the scarcity of characterized MnIII-hydroperoxo complexes, MnIII-alkylperoxo complexes are employed to understand factors that affect the mechanism of the O-O cleavage. Herein, we report a series of novel complexes, including two room-temperature-stable MnIII-alkylperoxo species, supported by a new amide-containing pentadentate ligand (6Medpaq5NO2). We use a combination of spectroscopic methods and density functional theory computations to probe the effects of the electronic changes in the ligand sphere trans to the hydroxo and alkylperoxo units to thermal stability and reactivity. The structural characterizations for both MnII(OTf)(6Medpaq5NO2) and [MnIII(OH)(6Medpaq5NO2)](OTf) were obtained via single-crystal X-ray crystallography. A perturbation to the ligand sphere allowed for a marked increase in reactivity towards an organic substrate, a modest change in the distribution of the O-O cleavage products from homolytic and heterolytic pathways, and little change in thermal stability.

Enhanced Reactivity through Equatorial Sulfur Coordination in Nonheme Iron(IV)-Oxo Complexes: Insights from Experiment and Theory

Sulfur ligation in metalloenzymes often gives the active site unique properties, whether it is the axial cysteinate ligand in the cytochrome P450s or the equatorial sulfur/thiol ligation in nonheme iron enzymes. To understand sulfur ligation to iron complexes and how it affects the structural, spectroscopic, and intrinsic properties of the active species and the catalysis of substrates, we pursued a systematic study and compared sulfur with amine-ligated iron(IV)-oxo complexes. We synthesized and characterized a biomimetic N4S-ligated iron(IV)-oxo complex and compared the obtained results with an analogous N5-ligated iron(IV)-oxo complex. Our work shows that the amine for sulfur replacement in the equatorial ligand framework leads to a rate enhancement for oxygen atom and hydrogen atom transfer reactions. Moreover, the sulfur-ligated iron(IV)-oxo complex reacts through a different reaction mechanism as compared to the N5-ligated iron(IV)-oxo complex, where the former reacts through hydride transfer with the latter reacting via radical pathways. We show that the reactivity differences are caused by a dramatic change in redox potential between the two complexes. Our studies highlight the importance of implementing a sulfur ligand into the equatorial ligand framework of nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes and how it affects the physicochemical properties of the oxidant and its reactivity.

Catalyst and Medium Control over Rebound Pathways in Manganese-Catalyzed Methylenic C-H Bond Oxidation

The C(sp3)-H bond oxygenation of a variety of cyclopropane containing hydrocarbons with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by manganese complexes containing aminopyridine tetradentate ligands was carried out. Oxidations were performed in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) using different manganese catalysts and carboxylic acid co-ligands, where steric and electronic properties were systematically modified. Functionalization selectively occurs at the most activated C-H bonds that are α- to cyclopropane, providing access to carboxylate or 2,2,2-trifluoroethanolate transfer products, with no competition, in favorable cases, from the generally dominant hydroxylation reaction. The formation of mixtures of unrearranged and rearranged esters (oxidation in HFIP in the presence of a carboxylic acid) and ethers (oxidation in TFE) with full control over diastereoselectivity was observed, confirming the involvement of delocalized cationic intermediates in these transformations. Despite such a complex mechanistic scenario, by fine-tuning of catalyst and carboxylic acid sterics and electronics and leveraging on the relative contribution of cationic pathways to the reaction mechanism, control over product chemoselectivity could be systematically achieved. Taken together, the results reported herein provide powerful catalytic tools to rationally manipulate ligand transfer pathways in C-H oxidations of cyclopropane containing hydrocarbons, delivering novel products in good yields and, in some cases, outstanding selectivities, expanding the available toolbox for the development of synthetically useful C-H functionalization procedures.

A Nonheme Iron(III) Superoxide Complex Leads to Sulfur Oxygenation

A new alkylthiolate-ligated nonheme iron complex, FeII(BNPAMe2S)Br (1), is reported. Reaction of 1 with O2 at -40 °C, or reaction of the ferric form with O2•- at -80 °C, gives a rare iron(III)-superoxide intermediate, [FeIII(O2)(BNPAMe2S)]+ (2), characterized by UV-vis, 57Fe Mössbauer, ATR-FTIR, EPR, and CSIMS. Metastable 2 then converts to an S-oxygenated FeII(sulfinate) product via a sequential O atom transfer mechanism involving an iron-sulfenate intermediate. These results provide evidence for the feasibility of proposed intermediates in thiol dioxygenases.

High-valent nonheme Fe(IV)O/Ru(IV)O complexes catalyze C-H activation reactivity and hydrogen tunneling: a comparative DFT investigation

A comprehensive density functional theory investigation has been presented towards the comparison of the C-H activation reactivity between high-valent iron-oxo and ruthenium-oxo complexes. A total of four compounds, e.g., [Ru(IV)O(tpy-dcbpy)] (1), [Fe(IV)O(tpy-dcbpy)] (1'), [Ru(IV)O(TMCS)] (2), and [Fe(IV)O(TMCS)] (2'), have been considered for this investigation. The macrocyclic ligand framework tpy(dcbpy) implies tpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, dcbpy = 5,5'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine, and TMCS is TMC with an axially tethered -SCH2CH2 group. Compounds 1 and 2' are experimentally synthesized standard complexes with Ru and Fe, whereas compounds 1' and 2 were considered to keep the macrocycle intact when switching the central metal atom. Three reactants including benzyl alcohol, ethyl benzene, and dihydroanthracene were selected as substrates for C-H activation. It is noteworthy to mention that Fe(IV)O complexes exhibit higher reactivity than those of their Ru(IV)O counterparts. Furthermore, regardless of the central metal, the complex featuring a tpy-dcbpy macrocycle demonstrates higher reactivity than that of TMCS. Here, a thorough analysis of the reactivity-controlling characteristics-such as spin state, steric factor, distortion energy, energy of the electron acceptor orbital, and quantum mechanical tunneling-was conducted. Fe(IV)O exhibits the exchanged enhanced two-state-reactivity with the quintet reactive state, whereas Ru(IV)O has only a triplet reactive state. Both the distortion energy and acceptor orbital energy are low in the case of Fe(IV)O supporting its higher reactivity. All the investigated C-H activation processes involve a significant contribution from hydrogen tunneling, which is more pronounced in the case of Ru, although it cannot alter the reactivity pattern. Furthermore, it has also been found that, independent of the central metal, aliphatic hydroxylation is always preferable to aromatic hydroxylation. Overall, this work is successful in establishing and investigating the cause of enzymes' natural preference for Fe over Ru as a cofactor for C-H activation enzymes.

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).

The elusive reaction mechanism of Mn(II)-mediated benzylic oxidation of alkylarene by H2O2: a gem-diol mechanism or a dual hydrogen abstraction mechanism?

The direct oxygenation of alkylarenes at the benzylic position employing bioinspired nonheme catalysts has emerged as a promising strategy for the production of bioactive arene ketone scaffolds in drugs. However, the structure-activity relationship of the active species and the mechanism of these reactions remain elusive. Herein, the reaction mechanism of the Mn(II)-mediated benzylic oxygenation of phenylbutanoic acid (PBA) to 4-oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid (4-oxo-PBA) by H2O2 was investigated using density functional theory calculations. The calculated results demonstrated that the MnIII-OOH species (1) is a sluggish oxidant and needs to be converted to a high-valent manganese-oxo species (2). The conversion of PBA to 4-oxo-PBA by 2 occurs via the consecutive hydroxylation of PBA to 4-hydroxyl-4-phenylbutyric acid (4-OH-PBA) and the alcohol oxidation of 4-OH-PBA to 4-oxo-PBA. The hydroxylation of PBA proceeds via a novel hydride transfer/hydroxyl-rebound mechanism and the alcohol oxidation of 4-OH-PBA occurs via three pathways (gem-diol, dual hydrogen abstraction (DHA), and reversed-DHA pathways). The regio-selectivity of benzylic oxidations was caused by a strong π-π stacking interaction between the pyridine ring of the nonheme ligand and the phenyl ring of the substrate. These mechanistic findings enrich the knowledge of biomimetic alcohol oxidations and play a positive role in the rational design of new non-heme catalysts.

Enhanced Understanding of Structure-Function Relationships for Oxomanganese(IV) Complexes

A series of manganese(II) and oxomanganese(IV) complexes supported by neutral, pentadentate ligands with varied equatorial ligand-field strength (N3pyQ, N2py2I, and N4pyMe2) were synthesized and then characterized using structural and spectroscopic methods. On the basis of electronic absorption spectroscopy, the [MnIV(O)(N4pyMe2)]2+ complex has the weakest equatorial ligand field among a set of similar MnIV-oxo species. In contrast, [MnIV(O)(N2py2I)]2+ shows the strongest equatorial ligand-field strength for this same series. We examined the influence of these changes in electronic structure on the reactivity of the oxomanganese(IV) complexes using hydrocarbons and thioanisole as substrates. The [MnIV(O)(N3pyQ)]2+ complex, which contains one quinoline and three pyridine donors in the equatorial plane, ranks among the fastest MnIV-oxo complexes in C-H bond and thioanisole oxidation. While a weak equatorial ligand field has been associated with high reactivity, the [MnIV(O)(N4pyMe2)]2+ complex is only a modest oxidant. Buried volume plots suggest that steric factors dampen the reactivity of this complex. Trends in reactivity were examined using density functional theory (DFT)-computed bond dissociation free energies (BDFEs) of the MnIIIO-H and MnIV ═ O bonds. We observe an excellent correlation between MnIV═O BDFEs and rates of thioanisole oxidation, but more scatter is observed between hydrocarbon oxidation rates and the MnIIIO-H BDFEs.

Development of Catalytic Site-Selective C-H Oxidation

Direct C-H bond oxygenation is a strong and useful tool for the construction of oxygen functional groups. After Chen and White's pioneering works, various non-heme-type iron and manganese complexes were introduced, leading to strong development in this area. However, for this method to become a truly useful tool for synthetic organic chemistry, it is necessary to make further efforts to improve site-selectivity, and catalyst durability. Recently, we found that non-heme-type ruthenium complex cis-1 presents efficient catalysis in C(sp3 )-H oxygenation under acidic conditions. cis-1-catalysed C-H oxygenation can oxidize various substrates including highly complex natural compounds using hypervalent iodine reagents as a terminal oxidant. Moreover, the catalyst system can use almost stoichiometric water molecules as the oxygen source through reversible hydrolysis of PhI(OCOR)2 . It is a strong tool for producing isotopic-oxygen-labelled compounds. Moreover, the environmentally friendly hydrogen peroxide can be used as a terminal oxidant under acidic conditions.

Reaction landscape of a mononuclear MnIII-hydroxo complex with hydrogen peroxide

Peroxomanganese species have been proposed as key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of both manganese enzymes and synthetic catalysts. However, many of these intermediates have yet to be observed. Here, we report the formation of a series of intermediates, each generated from the reaction of the mononuclear MnIII-hydroxo complex [MnIII(OH)(dpaq2Me)]+ with hydrogen peroxide under slightly different conditions. By changing the acidity of the reaction mixture and/or the quantity of hydrogen peroxide added, we are able to control which intermediate forms. Using a combination of electronic absorption, 1H NMR, EPR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, as well as density functional theory (DFT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations, we formulate these intermediates as the bis(μ-oxo)dimanganese(III,IV) complex [MnIIIMnIV(μ-O)2(dpaq2Me)2]+, the MnIII-hydroperoxo complex [MnIII(OOH)(dpaq2Me)]+, and the MnIII-peroxo complex [MnIII(O2)(dpaq2Me)]. The formation of the MnIII-hydroperoxo species from the reaction of a MnIII-hydroxo complex with hydrogen peroxide mimics an elementary reaction proposed for many synthetic manganese catalysts that activate hydrogen peroxide.

Electronic structure contributions to O-O bond cleavage reactions for MnIII-alkylperoxo complexes

Synthetic manganese catalysts that activate hydrogen peroxide perform a variety of hydrocarbon oxidation reactions. The most commonly proposed mechanism for these catalysts involves the generation of a manganese(III)-hydroperoxo intermediate that decays via heterolytic O-O bond cleavage to generate a Mn(V)-oxo species that initiates substrate oxidation. Due to the paucity of well-defined MnIII-hydroperoxo complexes, MnIII-alkylperoxo complexes are often employed to understand the factors that affect the O-O cleavage reaction. Herein, we examine the decay pathways of the MnIII-alkylperoxo complexes [MnIII(OOtBu)(6Medpaq)]+ and [MnIII(OOtBu)(N4S)]+, which have distinct coordination environments (N5- and N4S-, respectively). Through the use of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and comparisons with published experimental data, we are able to rationalize the differences in the decay pathways of these complexes. For the [MnIII(OOtBu)(N4S)]+ system, O-O homolysis proceeds via a two-state mechanism that involves a crossing from the quintet reactant to a triplet state. A high energy singlet state discourages O-O heterolysis for this complex. In contrast, while quintet-triplet crossing is unfavorable for [MnIII(OOtBu)(6Medpaq)]+, a relatively low-energy single state accounts for the observation of both O-O homolysis and heterolysis products for this complex. The origins of these differences in decay pathways are linked to variations in the electronic structures of the MnIII-alkylperoxo complexes.

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.

C-H Bonds as Functional Groups: Simultaneous Generation of Multiple Stereocenters by Enantioselective Hydroxylation at Unactivated Tertiary C-H Bonds

Enantioselective C-H oxidation is a standing chemical challenge foreseen as a powerful tool to transform readily available organic molecules into precious oxygenated building blocks. Here, we describe a catalytic enantioselective hydroxylation of tertiary C-H bonds in cyclohexane scaffolds with H2O2, an evolved manganese catalyst that provides structural complementary to the substrate similarly to the lock-and-key recognition operating in enzymatic active sites. Theoretical calculations unveil that enantioselectivity is governed by the precise fitting of the substrate scaffold into the catalytic site, through a network of complementary weak non-covalent interactions. Stereoretentive C(sp3)-H hydroxylation results in a single-step generation of multiple stereogenic centers (up to 4) that can be orthogonally manipulated by conventional methods providing rapid access, from a single precursor to a variety of chiral scaffolds.

Organoantimony Dihydroperoxides: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Hydrogen Bonding Networks

Despite growing interest in the potential applications of p-block hydroperoxo complexes, the chemistry of inorganic hydroperoxides remains largely unexplored. For instance, single-crystal structures of antimony hydroperoxo complexes have not been reported to date. Herein, we present the synthesis of six triaryl and trialkylantimony dihydroperoxides [Me₃Sb(OOH)₂, Me₃Sb(OOH)₂·H₂O, Ph₃Sb(OOH)₂·0.75(C₄H₈O), Ph₃Sb(OOH)₂·2CH₃OH, pTol₃Sb(OOH)₂, pTol₃Sb(OOH)₂·2(C₄H₈O)], obtained by the reaction of the corresponding dibromide antimony(V) complexes with an excess of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ammonia. The obtained compounds were characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies, and thermal analysis. The crystal structures of all six compounds reveal hydrogen-bonded networks formed by hydroperoxo ligands. In addition to the previously reported double hydrogen bonding, new types of hydrogen-bonded motifs formed by hydroperoxo ligands were found, including infinite hydroperoxo chains. Solid-state density functional theory calculation of Me₃Sb(OOH)₂ revealed reasonably strong hydrogen bonding between OOH ligands with an energy of 35 kJ/mol. Additionally, the potential application of Ph₃Sb(OOH)₂·0.75(C₄H₈O) as a two-electron oxidant for the enantioselective epoxidation of olefins was investigated in comparison with Ph₃SiOOH, Ph₃PbOOH, t-BuOOH, and H₂O₂.

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.

Hydrogen Bonding-Assisted and Nonheme Manganese-Catalyzed Remote Hydroxylation of C-H Bonds in Nitrogen-Containing Molecules

The development of catalytic systems capable of oxygenating unactivated C-H bonds with excellent site-selectivity and functional group tolerance under mild conditions remains a challenge. Inspired by the secondary coordination sphere (SCS) hydrogen bonding in metallooxygenases, reported herein is an SCS solvent hydrogen bonding strategy that employs 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) as a strong hydrogen bond donor solvent to enable remote C-H hydroxylation in the presence of basic aza-heteroaromatic rings with a low loading of a readily available and inexpensive manganese complex as a catalyst and hydrogen peroxide as a terminal oxidant. We demonstrate that this strategy represents a promising compliment to the current state-of-the-art protection approaches that rely on precomplexation with strong Lewis and/or Brønsted acids. Mechanistic studies with experimental and theoretical approaches reveal the existence of a strong hydrogen bonding between the nitrogen-containing substrate and HFIP, which prevents the catalyst deactivation by nitrogen binding and deactivates the basic nitrogen atom toward oxygen atom transfer and the α-C-H bonds adjacent to the nitrogen center toward H-atom abstraction. Moreover, the hydrogen bonding exerted by HFIP has also been demonstrated not only to facilitate the O-O bond heterolytic cleavage of a putative Mn^III-OOH precursor to generate Mn^V(O)(OC(O)CH₂Br) as an active oxidant but also to affect the stability and the activity of Mn^V(O)(OC(O)CH₂Br).

Comparing the reactivity of an oxoiron(IV) cation radical and its oxoiron(V) tautomer towards C-H bonds

An oxoiron(IV) cation radical is generated upon two-electron oxidation of an iron(III) complex bearing an electron-rich methoxy substituted bTAML framework and thoroughly characterized via multiple spectroscopic techniques and density functional theory (DFT). Reactivity studies demonstrate faster rates for oxidation of strong aliphatic sp³ C-H bonds than for its corresponding oxoiron(V) valence tautomer.

DFT insights into the mechanism of O2 activation catalyzed by a structural and functional model of cysteine dioxygenase with tris(2-pyridyl)methane-based ligand architecture

Cysteine dioxygenation is an important step in the metabolism of toxic L-cysteine (Cys) in the human body, carried out by cysteine dioxygenase enzyme (CDO). The disruption of this process is found to elicit neurological health issues. This work reports a computational investigation of mechanistic aspects of this reaction, using a recently reported tris(2-pyridyl)methane-based biomimetic model complex of CDO. The computed results indicate that, the initial SO2 bond formation process is the slowest step in the S-dioxygenation process, possessing an activation barrier of 12.7 kcal/mol. The remaining steps were found to be downhill requiring very small activation energies. The transition states were found to undergo spin crossover between triplet and quintet states, while the singlet surface remained unstable throughout the entire reaction. In essence, the mechanistic scheme and multistate reactivity pattern together with the relatively small computed rate-limiting activation barrier as well as the exothermic formation energy demonstrate that the model complex is an efficient biomimetic CDO model. In addition, the study also substantiates the involvement of Fe(IV)oxido intermediates in the mechanism of S-dioxygenation by the chosen model complex. The insights derived from the O₂ activation process might pave way for development of more accurate CDO model catalysts that might be capable of even more efficiently mimicking the geometric, spectroscopic and functional features of the CDO enzyme.

Manganese-Catalyzed Regioselective C-H Lactonization and Hydroxylation of Fatty Acids with H2O2

Herein, we report the direct selective C-H lactonization of fatty acids (C5-C16), catalyzed by manganese(II) complexes bearing bis-amino-bis-pyridine ligands. The catalyst system uses the environmentally benign hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and exhibits high efficiency (100-200 TON), providing under optimized conditions γ-lactones in 60-90% yields. Remarkably, by changing the reaction conditions, the oxidation of hexanoic acid can be diverted toward formation of δ-caprolactone in up to 67% yield. Furthermore, the possibility of obtaining (ω-1)-hydroxy derivatives from linear C7-C10 acids in up to 48% yields has been demonstrated.

Triphenyllead Hydroperoxide: A 1D Coordination Peroxo Polymer, Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Disproportionation to a Superoxo/Hydroxo Complex, and Application in Catalysis

The synthesis, transformation, and application in catalysis of triphenyllead hydroperoxide, the first dioxygen lead complex, are described. Triphenyllead hydroperoxide is characterized by ²⁰⁷Pb nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing the first one-dimensional (1D) coordination peroxo polymer. Photolytic isomorphous transformation of Ph₃PbOOH yields a mixed hydroxo/superoxo crystalline structure, the first nonalkali superoxo crystalline metal salt, which is stable up to 100 °C. Upon further photolysis, another isomorphous transformation of the superoxide to hydroxide is observed. These are the first single-crystal-to-single-crystal hydroperoxide-to-superoxide and then to hydroxide transformations reported to date. Photolysis of triphenyllead hydroperoxide yields two forms of superoxide-doped crystalline structures that are distinguished by widely different characteristic relaxation times. The use of Ph₃PbOOH as an easy-to-handle solid two-electron oxidant for the highly enantioselective epoxidation of olefins is described.

Asymmetric Epoxidation of Olefins with Sodium Percarbonate Catalyzed by Bis-amino-bis-pyridine Manganese Complexes

Asymmetric epoxidation of a series of olefinic substrates with sodium percarbonate oxidant in the presence of homogeneous catalysts based on Mn complexes with bis-amino-bis-pyridine ligands is reported. Sodium percarbonate is a readily available and environmentally benign oxidant that is studied in these reactions for the first time. The epoxidation proceeded with good to high yields (up to 100%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) using as low as 0.2 mol. % catalyst loadings. The epoxidation protocol is suitable for various types of substrates, including unfunctionalized alkenes, α,β-unsaturated ketones, esters (cis- and trans-), and amides (cis- and trans-). The reaction mechanism is discussed.

Resolving Oxygenation Pathways in Manganese-Catalyzed C(sp3)-H Functionalization via Radical and Cationic Intermediates

The C(sp³)–H bond oxygenation of the cyclopropane-containing mechanistic probes 6-tert-butylspiro[2.5]octane and spiro[2.5]octane with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by manganese complexes bearing aminopyridine tetradentate ligands has been studied. Mixtures of unrearranged and rearranged oxygenation products (alcohols, ketones, and esters) are obtained, suggesting the involvement of cationic intermediates and the contribution of different pathways following the initial hydrogen atom transfer-based C–H bond cleavage step. Despite such a complex mechanistic scenario, a judicious choice of the catalyst structure and reaction conditions (solvent, temperature, and carboxylic acid) could be employed to resolve these oxygenation pathways, leading, with the former substrate, to conditions where a single unrearranged or rearranged product is obtained in good isolated yield. Taken together, the work demonstrates an unprecedented ability to precisely direct the chemoselectivity of the C–H oxidation reaction, discriminating among multiple pathways. In addition, these results conclusively demonstrate that stereospecific C(sp³)–H oxidation can take place via a cationic intermediate and that this path can become exclusive in governing product formation, expanding the available toolbox of aliphatic C–H bond oxygenations. The implications of these findings are discussed in the framework of the development of synthetically useful C–H functionalization procedures and the associated mechanistic features.

C-H bond chlorination using nickel(II) complexes of tetradentate amido-quinoline ligands

Ni(II)-tetradentate amido-quinoline complexes effectively catalysed C-H chlorination of a series of hydrocarbons in the presence of NaOCl and acetic acid. The bond dissociation energy of the C(sp³)-H bond of the substrates varies from 99.3 kcal mol^-1 (cyclohexane) to 87 kcal mol^-1 (ethyl benzene). Exclusively chlorinated products (TON: 220 for cyclohexane) were obtained without any hydroxylated products, thus mimicking the activity of the halogenase enzyme.

Methane Monooxygenase Mimic Asymmetric Oxidation: Self-Assembling μ-Hydroxo, Carboxylate-Bridged Diiron(III)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Dehydrogenation

Mimicking naturally occurring metalloenzymes to enrich the diversity of catalytic asymmetric oxidation reactions is a long-standing goal for modern chemistry. Toward this end, a range of methane monooxygenase (MMO) mimic chiral carboxylate-bridged (μ-hydroxo) diiron(III) dimer complexes using salan as basal ligand and sodium aryl carboxylate as additive have been designed and synthesized. The chiral diiron complexes exhibit efficient catalytic reactivity in dehydrogenative kinetic resolution of indolines using environmentally benign hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. In particular, complex C9 bearing sterically encumbered salan ligands and a 2-naphthoate bridge is identified as the optimal catalyst in terms of chiral recognition. Further investigation reveals that this MMO mimic chiral catalyst can be readily generated by self-assembly under the dehydrogenation conditions. The self-assembling catalytic system is applicable to a series of indolines with multiple stereocenters and diverse substituent patterns in high efficiency with a high level of chiral recognition (selectivity factor up to 153). Late-stage dehydrogenative kinetic resolution of bioactive molecules is further examined.

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.

Reactive High-Valent Iron Intermediates in Enhancing Treatment of Water by Ferrate

Efforts are being made to tune the reactivity of the tetraoxy anion of iron in the +6 oxidation state (Fe^VIO₄^2-), commonly called ferrate, to further enhance its applications in various environmental fields. This review critically examines the strategies to generate highly reactive high-valent iron intermediates, Fe^VO₄^3- (Fe^V) and Fe^IVO₄^4- or Fe^IVO₃^2- (Fe^IV) species, from Fe^VIO₄^2-, for the treatment of polluted water with greater efficiency. Approaches to produce Fe^V and Fe^IV species from Fe^VIO₄^2- include additions of acid (e.g., HCl), metal ions (e.g., Fe(III)), and reductants (R). Details on applying various inorganic reductants (R) to generate Fe^V and Fe^IV from Fe^VIO₄^2- via initial single electron-transfer (SET) and oxygen-atom transfer (OAT) to oxidize recalcitrant pollutants are presented. The common constituents of urine (e.g., carbonate, ammonia, and creatinine) and different solids (e.g., silica and hydrochar) were found to accelerate the oxidation of pharmaceuticals by Fe^VIO₄^2-, with potential mechanisms provided. The challenges of providing direct evidence of the formation of Fe^V/Fe^IV species are discussed. Kinetic modeling and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide opportunities to distinguish between the two intermediates (i.e., Fe^IV and Fe^V) in order to enhance oxidation reactions utilizing Fe^VIO₄^2-. Further mechanistic elucidation of activated ferrate systems is vital to achieve high efficiency in oxidizing emerging pollutants in various aqueous streams.

Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) catalysis in the epoxidation of alkenes: a synthetic overview

Epoxides are biologically important moiety that is also used as synthetic intermediates. This review aims to present the up-to-date advancements in methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)-catalyzed epoxidation of alkenes using diverse oxidizing agents.

Three-in-one: Miniature Models of Natural Acyl-transfer Systems Enable Vector-selective Reaction on the Primary Side of Cyclodextrins

Miniature models of acyl-transfer systems in cells, which were composed by replacing the protein, coenzyme and substrate with CD, functional group, and CD, respectively, and combining them all together in one, displayed definite role-sharing and exact cooperation of the functional groups and hydrophobic cavity, and thus enabled the regio-specific reaction.

Site and Enantioselective Aliphatic C-H Oxidation with Bioinspired Chiral Complexes

Selective oxidation of aliphatic C-H bonds stands as an unsolved problem in organic synthesis, with the potential to offer novel paths for preparing molecules of biological interest. The quest for reagents that can perform this class of reactions finds oxygenases and their mechanisms of action as inspiration motifs. Among the numerous families of synthetic catalysts that have been explored, complexes with linear tetraazadentate ligands combining two aliphatic amines and two aromatic amine heterocycles display a structural versatility proven instrumental in the design of C-H oxidation reactions showing site and enantioselectivities, not accessible by conventional oxidants. This manuscript makes a review of recent advances in the field.

Room Temperature Aerobic Peroxidation of Organic Substrates Catalyzed by Cobalt(III) Alkylperoxo Complexes

Room temperature aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons is highly desirable and remains a great challenge. Here we report a series of highly electrophilic cobalt(III) alkylperoxo complexes, Co^III(qpy)OOR supported by a planar tetradentate quaterpyridine ligand that can directly abstract H atoms from hydrocarbons (R'H) at ambient conditions (Co^III(qpy)OOR + R'H → Co^II(qpy) + R'^• + ROOH). The resulting alkyl radical (R'^•) reacts rapidly with O₂ to form alkylperoxy radical (R'OO^•), which is efficiently scavenged by Co^II(qpy) to give Co^III(qpy)OOR' (Co^II(qpy) + R'OO^• → Co^III(qpy)OOR'). This unique reactivity enables Co^III(qpy)OOR to function as efficient catalysts for aerobic peroxidation of hydrocarbons (R'H + O₂ → R'OOH) under 1 atm air and at room temperature.

Oxidative Cleavage of Alkenes by O2 with a Non-Heme Manganese Catalyst

The oxidative cleavage of C=C double bonds with molecular oxygen to produce carbonyl compounds is an important transformation in chemical and pharmaceutical synthesis. In nature, enzymes containing the first-row transition metals, particularly heme and non-heme iron-dependent enzymes, readily activate O₂ and oxidatively cleave C=C bonds with exquisite precision under ambient conditions. The reaction remains challenging for synthetic chemists, however. There are only a small number of known synthetic metal catalysts that allow for the oxidative cleavage of alkenes at an atmospheric pressure of O₂, with very few known to catalyze the cleavage of nonactivated alkenes. In this work, we describe a light-driven, Mn-catalyzed protocol for the selective oxidation of alkenes to carbonyls under 1 atm of O₂. For the first time, aromatic as well as various nonactivated aliphatic alkenes could be oxidized to afford ketones and aldehydes under clean, mild conditions with a first row, biorelevant metal catalyst. Moreover, the protocol shows a very good functional group tolerance. Mechanistic investigation suggests that Mn–oxo species, including an asymmetric, mixed-valent bis(μ-oxo)-Mn(III,IV) complex, are involved in the oxidation, and the solvent methanol participates in O₂ activation that leads to the formation of the oxo species.

Manganese-Catalyzed Achmatowicz Rearrangement Using Green Oxidant H2O2

Oxidation reactions have been extensively studied in the context of the transformations of biomass-derived furans. However, in contrast to the vast literature on utilizing the stoichiometric oxidants, such as m-CPBA and NBS, catalytic methods for the oxidative furan-recyclizations remain scarcely investigated. Given this, we report a means of manganese-catalyzed oxidations of furan with low loading, achieving the Achmatowicz rearrangement in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an environmentally benign oxidant under mild conditions with wide functional group compatibility.