Reactivity of copper(II)-alkylperoxo complexes

Copper(II) complexes 1a and 1b, supported by tridentate ligand bpa [bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine] and tetradentate ligand tpa [tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine], respectively, react with cumene hydroperoxide (CmOOH) in the presence of triethylamine in CH(3)CN to provide the corresponding copper(II) cumylperoxo complexes 2a and 2b, the formation of which has been confirmed by resonance Raman and ESI-MS analyses using (18)O-labeled CmOOH. UV-vis and ESR spectra as well as DFT calculations indicate that 2a has a 5-coordinate square-pyramidal structure involving CmOO(-) at an equatorial position and one solvent molecule at an axial position at low temperature (-90 °C), whereas a 4-coordinate square-planar structure that has lost the axial solvent ligand is predominant at higher temperatures (above 0 °C). Complex 2b, on the other hand, has a typical trigonal bipyramidal structure with the tripodal tetradentate tpa ligand, where the cumylperoxo ligand occupies an axial position. Both cumylperoxo copper(II) complexes 2a and 2b are fairly stable at ambient temperature, but decompose at a higher temperature (60 °C) in CH(3)CN. Detailed product analyses and DFT studies indicate that the self-decomposition involves O-O bond homolytic cleavage of the peroxo moiety; concomitant hydrogen-atom abstraction from the solvent is partially involved. In the presence of 1,4-cyclohexadiene (CHD), the cumylperoxo complexes react smoothly at 30 °C to give benzene as one product. Detailed product analyses and DFT studies indicate that reaction with CHD involves concerted O-O bond homolytic cleavage and hydrogen-atom abstraction from the substrate, with the oxygen atom directly bonded to the copper(II) ion (proximal oxygen) involved in the C-H bond activation step.

EPR, 1H and 2H NMR, and reactivity studies of the iron-oxygen intermediates in bioinspired catalyst systems

Complexes [(BPMEN)Fe(II)(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (1, BPMEN = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-diaminoethane) and [(TPA)Fe(II)(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (2, TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) are among the best nonheme iron-based catalysts for bioinspired oxidation of hydrocarbons. Using EPR and (1)H and (2)H NMR spectroscopy, the iron-oxygen intermediates formed in the catalyst systems 1,2/H(2)O(2); 1,2/H(2)O(2)/CH(3)COOH; 1,2/CH(3)CO(3)H; 1,2/m-CPBA; 1,2/PhIO; 1,2/(t)BuOOH; and 1,2/(t)BuOOH/CH(3)COOH have been studied (m-CPBA is m-chloroperbenzoic acid). The following intermediates have been observed: [(L)Fe(III)(OOR)(S)](2+), [(L)Fe(IV)═O(S)](2+) (L = BPMEN or TPA, R = H or (t)Bu, S = CH(3)CN or H(2)O), and the iron-oxygen species 1c (L = BPMEN) and 2c (L = TPA). It has been shown that 1c and 2c directly react with cyclohexene to yield cyclohexene oxide, whereas [(L)Fe(IV)═O(S)](2+) react with cyclohexene to yield mainly products of allylic oxidation. [(L)Fe(III)(OOR)(S)](2+) are inert in this reaction. The analysis of EPR and reactivity data shows that only those catalyst systems which display EPR spectra of 1c and 2c are able to selectively epoxidize cyclohexene, thus bearing strong evidence in favor of the key role of 1c and 2c in selective epoxidation. 1c and 2c were tentatively assigned to the oxoiron(V) intermediates.

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.