"Intermolecular" trapping of a nonheme Fe(IV)=O intermediate

Iron-Catalyzed C-H Oxygenation Using Perchlorate Enabled by Secondary Sphere Hydrogen Bonds

Perchlorate (ClO4-) is a groundwater pollutant that is challenging to remediate. We report a strategy to use Fe(II) tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) complexes featuring appended aniline hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) to promote ClO4- reduction. These complexes facilitate oxygen atom transfer from ClO4- to PPh3 and C-H oxygenation reactions of organic substrates. Catalytic reactions using 15 mol % afforded excellent yields for oxygenation of anthracene and cyclic alkyl aromatics, and this methodology tolerates aryl halides as well as heterocycles containing either O, S, or N.

Directing transition metal-based oxygen-functionalization catalysis

This review presents the recent progress of oxygen functionalization reactions based on non-electrochemical (conventional organic synthesis) and electrochemical methods. Although both methods have their advantages and limitations, the former approach has been used to synthesize a broader range of organic substances as the latter is limited by several factors, such as poor selectivity and high energy cost. However, because electrochemical methods can replace harmful terminal oxidizers with external voltage, organic electrosynthesis has emerged as greener and more eco-friendly compared to conventional organic synthesis. The progress of electrochemical methods toward oxygen functionalization is presented by an in-depth discussion of different types of electrically driven-chemical organic synthesis, with particular attention to recently developed electrochemical systems and catalyst designs. We hope to direct the attention of readers to the latest breakthroughs of traditional oxygen functionalization reactions and to the potential of electrochemistry for the transformation of organic substrates to useful end products.

Oxygen atom transfer mediated by an iron(IV)/iron(II) macrocyclic complex containing pyridine and tertiary amine donors

A new non-heme iron model complex containing a high-spin iron(II) complexed with N-methylated pyridine-containing macrocycle was synthesized and crystallographically characterized. The complex generates peroxo- and high-valent iron-oxo intermediates in reactions with tert-butylhydroperoxide and isopropyl 2-iodoxybenzoate, respectively, allowing to gain insight into the formation and reactivity of enzyme-like intermediates related to biological oxygen activation. The formation and reactivity of these intermediate species were investigated by the stopped-flow methodology. The mechanism of oxygen transfer to organic substrates involving reaction of oxoiron(IV) intermediate was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and kinetic data. Incorporation of a pyridine ring into the macrocycle increased the reactivity of the Fe(IV)=O intermediates in comparison with polyamine tetraaza macrocyclic complexes: ferryl (Fe(IV)=O) species derived from 3 demonstrated electrophilic reactivity in transferring an oxygen atom to substituted triarylphosphines and to olefins (such as cyclooctene). However, iron(III) alkylperoxo intermediate was unreactive with cyclooctene.

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.

Synthesis and Characterization of Mononuclear Ruthenium(III) Pyridylamine Complexes and Mechanistic Insights into Their Catalytic Alkane Functionalization withm-Chloroperbenzoic Acid

A series of mononuclear RuIII complexes [RuCl2(L)]+, where L is tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) or one of four TPA derivatives as tetradentate ligand, were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods, X-ray crystallography, and electrochemical measurements. The geometry of a RuIII complex having a non-threefold-symmetric TPA ligand bearing one dimethylnicotinamide moiety was determined to show that the nicotine moiety resides trans to a pyridine group, but not to the chlorido ligand. The substituents of the TPA ligands were shown to regulate the redox potential of the ruthenium center, as indicated by a linear Hammett plot in the range of 200 mV for RuIII/RuIV couples with a relatively large rho value (+0.150). These complexes act as effective catalysts for alkane functionalization in acetonitrile with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA) as terminal oxidant at room temperature. They exhibited fairly good reactivity for oxidation of cyclohexane (C--H bond energy 94 kcal mol(-1)), and the reactivity can be altered significantly by the electronic effects of substituents on TPA ligands in terms of initial rates and turnover numbers. Catalytic oxygenation of cyclohexane by a RuIII complex with 16O-mCPBA in the presence of H2 18O gave 18O-labeled cyclohexanol with 100% inclusion of the 18O atom from the water molecule. Resonance Raman spectra under catalytic conditions without the substrate indicate formation of a RuIV==O intermediate with lower bonding energy. Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) in the oxidation of cyclohexane suggest that hydrogen abstraction is the rate-determining step and the KIE values depend on the substituents of the TPA ligands. Thus, the reaction mechanism of catalytic cyclohexane oxygenation depends on the electronic effects of the ligands.

The road to non-heme oxoferryls and beyond

Oxoiron(IV) species are often implicated in the catalytic cycles of oxygen-activating non-heme iron enzymes. The paucity of suitable model complexes stimulated us to fill this void, and our synthetic efforts have afforded a number of oxoiron(IV) complexes. This Account provides a chronological perspective of the observations that contributed to the generation of the first non-heme iron(IV)-oxo complexes in high yield and summarizes their salient properties to date.

Transient Absorption Studies of the Pacman Effect in Spring-Loaded Diiron(III) μ-Oxo Bisporphyrins

Picosecond transient absorption spectroscopy of diiron(III) mu-oxo bisporphyrins appended to xanthene, (DPX)Fe2O and (DPXM)Fe2O, and dibenzofuran (DPD)Fe2O have been investigated in order to decipher the effect of a spring-loaded cleft on their photophysics and attendant oxidation photocatalysis. The tension of the cofacial pocket is systematically tuned with the bridge span and meso-substitution opposite to the bridge; the distances of the relaxed cofacial pockets and clamped Fe-O-Fe pockets are known from X-ray crystallography (Deltad(M-M)(relaxed-clamped)=4.271 A (DPD), 2.424 A (DPXM), 0.208 A (DPX)). The photophysical and chemical properties of these cofacial platforms are compared to the unbridged diiron(III) mu-oxo analogue, (Etio)2Fe2O. Photon absorption by the diiron(III) mu-oxo chromophore prompts Fe-O-Fe photocleavage to release the spring and present a PFeIVO/PFeII pair (P=porphyrin subunit); net photooxidation is observed when oxygen atom transfer to substrate occurs before the spring can reclamp to form the mu-oxo species. The inherent lifetimes of the PFeIVO/PFeII pairs for the four compounds are surprisingly similar (tau[(DPD)Fe2O]=1.36(3) ns, tau[(DPX)Fe2O]=1.26(5) ns, tau[(DPXM)Fe2O]=1.27(9) ns, and tau[(Etio)2Fe2O]=0.97(3) ns), considering the structural differences arising from tensely clamped (DPD and DPXM), relaxed (DPX), and unbridged (Etio) cofacial architectures. However, the rates of net oxygen atom transfer for (DPD)Fe2O and (Etio)2Fe2O are found to be 4 orders of magnitude greater than that of (DPX)Fe2O and 2 orders of magnitude greater than that of (DPXM)Fe2O. These results show that the spring action of the cleft, known as the Pacman effect, does little to impede reclamping to form the mu-oxo species but rather is manifest to opening the cofacial cleft to allow substrate access to the photogenerated oxidant. Consistent with this finding, photooxidation efficiencies decrease as the steric demand of substrates increase.

Biomimetic aryl hydroxylation derived from alkyl hydroperoxide at a nonheme iron center. Evidence for an Fe(IV)=O oxidant

Many nonheme iron-dependent enzymes activate dioxygen to catalyze hydroxylations of arene substrates. Key features of this chemistry have been developed from complexes of a family of tetradentate tripodal ligands obtained by modification of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) with single alpha-arene substituents. These included the following: -C(6)H(5) (i.e., 6-PhTPA), L(1); -o-C(6)H(4)D, o-d(1)-L(1); -C(6)D(5), d(5)-L(1); -m-C(6)H(4)NO(2), L(2); -m-C(6)H(4)CF(3), L(3); -m-C(6)H(4)Cl, L(4); -m-C(6)H(4)CH(3), L(5); -m-C(6)H(4)OCH(3), L(6); -p-C(6)H(4)OCH(3), L(7). Additionally, the corresponding ligand with one alpha-phenyl and two alpha-methyl substituents (6,6-Me(2)-6-PhTPA, L(8)) was also synthesized. Complexes of the formulas [(L(1))Fe(II)(NCCH(3))(2)](ClO(4))(2), [(L(n)())Fe(II)(OTf)(2)] (n = 1-7, OTf = (-)O(3)SCF(3)), and [(L(8))Fe(II)(OTf)(2)](2) were obtained and characterized by (1)H NMR and UV-visible spectroscopies and by X-ray diffraction in the cases of [(L(1))Fe(II)(NCCH(3))(2)](ClO(4))(2), [(L(6))Fe(II)(OTf)(2)], and [(L(8))Fe(II)(OTf)(2)](2). The complexes react with tert-butyl hydroperoxide ((t)()BuOOH) in CH(3)CN solutions to give iron(III) complexes of ortho-hydroxylated ligands. The product complex derived from L(1) was identified as the solvated monomeric complex [(L(1)O(-))Fe(III)](2+) in equilibrium with its oxo-bridged dimer [(L(1)O(-))(2)Fe(III)(2)(mu(2)-O)](2+), which was characterized by X-ray crystallography as the BPh(4)(-) salt. The L(8) product was also an oxo-bridged dimer, [(L(8)O(-))(2)Fe(III)(2)(mu(2)-O)](2+). Transient intermediates were observed at low temperature by UV-visible spectroscopy, and these were characterized as iron(III) alkylperoxo complexes by resonance Raman and EPR spectroscopies for L(1) and L(8). [(L(1))Fe(II)(OTf)(2)] gave rise to a mixture of high-spin (S = 5/2) and low-spin (S = 1/2) Fe(III)-OOR isomers in acetonitrile, whereas both [(L(1))Fe(OTf)(2)] in CH(2)Cl(2) and [(L(8))Fe(OTf)(2)](2) in acetonitrile afforded only high-spin intermediates. The L(1) and L(8) intermediates both decomposed to form respective phenolate complexes, but their reaction times differed by 3 orders of magnitude. In the case of L(1), (18)O isotope labeling indicated that the phenolate oxygen is derived from the terminal peroxide oxygen via a species that can undergo partial exchange with exogenous water. The iron(III) alkylperoxo intermediate is proposed to undergo homolytic O-O bond cleavage to yield an oxoiron(IV) species as an unobserved reactive intermediate in the hydroxylation of the pendant alpha-aryl substituents. The putative homolytic chemistry was confirmed by using 2-methyl-1-phenyl-2-propyl hydroperoxide (MPPH) as a probe, and the products obtained in the presence and in the absence of air were consistent with formation of alkoxy radical (RO(*)). Moreover, when one ortho position was labeled with deuterium, no selectivity was observed between hydroxylation of the deuterated and normal isotopomeric ortho sites, but a significant 1,2-deuterium shift ("NIH shift") occurred. These results provide strong mechanistic evidence for a metal-centered electrophilic oxidant, presumably an oxoiron(IV) complex, in these arene hydroxylations and support participation of such a species in the mechanisms of the nonheme iron- and pterin-dependent aryl amino acid hydroxylases.

Crystallographic and spectroscopic characterization of a nonheme Fe(IV)-O complex

Following the heme paradigm, it is often proposed that dioxygen activation by nonheme monoiron enzymes involves an iron(IV)=oxo intermediate that is responsible for the substrate oxidation step. Such a transient species has now been obtained from a synthetic complex with a nonheme macrocyclic ligand and characterized spectroscopically. Its high-resolution crystal structure reveals an iron-oxygen bond length of 1.646(3) angstroms, demonstrating that a terminal iron(IV)=oxo unit can exist in a nonporphyrin ligand environment and lending credence to proposed mechanisms of nonheme iron catalysis.

Electronic structure and reactivity of high-spin iron--alkyl- and--pterinperoxo complexes

The spectroscopic properties and electronic structure of the four-coordinate high-spin [FeIII(L3)(OOtBu)]+ complex (1; L3 = hydrotris(3-tert-butyl-5-isopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate; tBu = tert-butyl) are investigated and compared to the six-coordinated high-spin [Fe(6-Me3TPA)(OHx)(OOtBu)]x+ system (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, x = 1 or 2) studied earlier [Lehnert, N.; Ho, R. Y. N.; Que, L., Jr.; Solomon, E. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 12802-12816]. Complex 1 is characterized by Raman features at 889 and 830 cm-1 which are assigned to the O-O stretch (mixed with the symmetric C-C stretch) and a band at 625 cm-1 that corresponds to nu(Fe-O). The UV-vis spectrum shows a charge-transfer (CT) transition at 510 nm from the alkylperoxo pi v* (v = vertical to C-O-O plane) to a d orbital of Fe(III). A second CT is identified from MCD at 370 nm that is assigned to a transition from pi h* (h = horizontal to C-O-O plane) to an Fe(III) d orbital. For the TPA complex the pi v* CT is at 560 nm while the pi h* CT is to higher energy than 250 nm. These spectroscopic differences between four- and six-coordinate Fe(III)-OOR complexes are interpreted on the basis of their different ligand fields. In addition, the electronic structure of Fe-OOPtn complexes with the biologically relevant pterinperoxo ligand are investigated. Substitution of the tert-butyl group in 1 by pterin leads to the corresponding Fe(III)-OOPtn species (2), which shows a stronger electron donation from the peroxide to Fe(III) than 1. This is related to the lower ionization potential of pterin. Reduction of 2 by one electron leads to the Fe(II)-OOPtn complex (3), which is relevant as a model for potential intermediates in pterin-dependent hydroxylases. However, in the four-coordinate ligand field of 3, the additional electron is located in a nonbonding d orbital of iron. Hence, the pterinperoxo ligand is not activated for heterolytic cleavage of the O-O bond in this system. This is also evident from the calculated reaction energies that are endothermic by at least 20 kcal/mol.

Trigonal bipyramidal geometry and tridentate coordination mode of the tripod in FeCl(2) complexes with tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine derivatives bis-alpha-substituted with bulky groups. structures and spectroscopic comparative studies

A series of dichloroferrous complexes with ligands derived from the tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine tripod has been prepared and characterized. The X-ray crystal structures of the complexes [bis(2-bromo-6-pyridylmethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]Fe(II)Cl(2) ((Br(2)TPA)Fe(II)Cl(2)) and [bis(2-phenyl-6-pyridylmethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]Fe(II)Cl(2), ((Ph(2)TPA)Fe(II)Cl(2)) are reported. In these complexes, the tripod coordinates in the tridentate mode, with a substituted pyridyl arm dangling away from the metal. Both complexes have a trigonal bipyramidal iron center with two equatorial chloride ions. Their crystal structures are compared with those of the [tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]Fe(II)Cl(2) and [(2-bromo-6-pyridylmethyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]Fe(II)Cl(2) complexes ((TPA)Fe(II)Cl(2) and (BrTPA)Fe(II)Cl(2), respectively) in which the ligand coordinates in the tetradentate mode. For all complexes, the metal to ligand distances are systematically above the value of 2.0 A, and (1)H NMR displays paramagnetically shifted resonances with short relaxation times. This indicates that the iron is in a high-spin state. Electric conductivity measurements show that, for all complexes, the measured values lie within the same range, significantly below those expected for ionic complexes. Together with the analysis of the UV-visible and NMR data, this strongly suggests that the coordination mode of the tripod is retained in solution.

Electronic structure and reactivity of low-spin Fe(III)-hydroperoxo complexes: comparison to activated bleomycin

The spectroscopic properties, electronic structure, and reactivity of the low-spin Fe(III)-hydroperoxo complex [Fe(N4Py)(OOH)](2+) (1, N4Py = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-bis(2-pyridyl)methylamine) are investigated in comparison to those of activated bleomycin (ABLM). Complex 1 is characterized by Raman features at 632 (Fe-O stretch) and 790 cm(-1) (O-O stretch), corresponding to a strong Fe-O bond (force constant 3.62 mdyn/A) and a weak O-O bond (3.05 mdyn/A). The UV-vis spectrum of 1 shows a broad absorption band around 550 nm that is assigned to a charge-transfer transition from the hydroperoxo to a t(2g) d orbital of Fe(III) using resonance Raman and MCD spectroscopies and density functional (DFT) calculations. Compared to low-spin [Fe(TPA)(OH(x))(OO(t)Bu)](x+)(TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, x = 1 or 2), an overall similar Fe-OOR bonding results for low-spin Fe(III)-alkylperoxo and -hydroperoxo species. Correspondingly, both systems show similar reactivities and undergo homolytic cleavage of the O-O bond. From the DFT calculations, this reaction is more endothermic for 1 due to the reduced stabilization of the .OH radical compared to .O(t)Bu and the absence of the hydroxo ligand that helps to stabilize the resulting Fe(IV)=O species. In contrast, ABLM has a somewhat different electronic structure where no pi donor bond between the hydroperoxo ligand and iron(III) is present [Neese, F.; Zaleski, J. M.; Loeb-Zaleski, K.; Solomon, E. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 11703]. Possible reaction pathways for ABLM are discussed in relation to known experimental results.

Mononuclear and mixed-valence binuclear oxovanadium complexes with benzimidazole-derived chelating agents

Oxovanadium complexes with H(2)bzimpy (2,6-bis[benzimidazol-2'-yl]pyridine) and Me(2)bzimpy (2,6-bis[N'-methylbenzimidazol-2'-yl]pyridine), and H(3)ntb (tris[benzimidazol-2'-yl-methyl]amine) and Me(3)ntb (tris[N'-methylbenzimidazol-2'-yl-methyl]amine) have been synthesized. Dioxovanadium(V) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes prepared from H(2)bzimpy and Me(2)bzimpy are [V(V)O(2)(Hbzimpy)].1.25H(2)O (1), [V(V)O(2)(Me(2)bzimpy)](ClO(4)).H(2)O (3), [V(IV)O(H(2)bzimpy)(H(2)O)(2)](CF(3)SO(3))(2).2H(2)O (2), and [V(IV)O(Me(2)bzimpy)(H(2)O)(2)](CF(3)SO(3))(2) (4). H(3)ntb and Me(3)ntb afforded oxovanadium(IV) complexes, [V(IV)O(Hntb)].2MeOH (5), [V(IV)O(H(3)ntb)Cl]Cl.H(2)O (7), [V(IV)O(Me(3)ntb)SO(4)].H(2)O (9), [V(IV)O(Me(3)ntb)Cl]Cl.H(2)O (10), and mixed-valence complexes, [(H(3)ntb)V(IV)O(mu-O)V(V)O(H(3)ntb)](CF(3)SO(3))(3).2H(2)O (8) and [(Me(3)ntb)V(IV)O(mu-O)V(V)O(Me(3)ntb)](CF(3)SO(3))(3).3H(2)O (11). Crystal structures of 2, 7, and 11 are reported. The mixed-valence complexes, 8 and 11, show 15-line isotropic ESR spectra in fluid solutions at room temperature. These compounds also exhibit an intervalence transfer band around 1015 nm which is essentially independent of solvent, so these compounds are stable, mixed-valence species where the single unpaired electron is delocalized over the two vanadium centers at ambient temperature. With respect to one-electron reduction, the dioxovanadium(V) complexes are redox-potential equivalent with their monooxovanadium(IV) counterparts.