μ-Oxo-bridged diiron(iii) complexes of tripodal 4N ligands as catalysts for alkane hydroxylation reaction using m-CPBA as an oxidant: substrate vs. self hydroxylation?

RSC Advances Pub Date: 2021-06-17 DOI: 10.1039/D1RA03135J

Abstract

A series of non-heme μ-oxo-bridged dinuclear iron(III) complexes of the type [Fe2(μ-O)(L1–L6)2Cl2]Cl2 1–6 have been isolated and their catalytic activity towards oxidative transformation of alkanes into alcohols has been studied using m-choloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) as an oxidant. All the complexes were characterized by CHN, electrochemical, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of 2 and 5 have been determined successfully by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and both possesses octahedral coordination geometry and each iron atom is coordinated by four nitrogen atoms of the 4N ligand and a bridging oxygen. The sixth position of each octahedron is coordinated by a chloride ion. The (μ-oxo)diiron(III) core is linear in 2 (Fe–O–Fe, 180.0°), whereas it is non-linear (Fe–O–Fe, 161°) in 5. All the diiron(III) complexes show quasi-reversible one electron transfer in the cyclic voltammagram and catalyze the hydroxylation of alkanes like cyclohexane, adamantane with m-CPBA as an oxidant. In acetonitrile solution, adding excess m-CPBA to the diiron(III) complex 2 without chloride ions leads to intramolecular hydroxylation reaction of the oxidant. Interestingly, 2 catalyzes alkane hydroxylation in the presence of chloride ions, but intramolecular hydroxylation in the absence of chloride ions. The observed selectivity for cyclohexane (A/K, 5–7) and adamantane (3°/2°, 9–18) suggests the involvement of high-valent iron–oxo species rather than freely diffusing radicals in the catalytic reaction. Moreover, 4 oxidizes (A/K, 7) cyclohexane very efficiently up to 513 TON while 5 oxidizes adamantane with good selectivity (3°/2°, 18) using m-CPBA as an oxidant. The electronic effects of ligand donors dictate the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic hydroxylation of alkanes.

Graphical abstract: μ-Oxo-bridged diiron(iii) complexes of tripodal 4N ligands as catalysts for alkane hydroxylation reaction using m-CPBA as an oxidant: substrate vs. self hydroxylation
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