Site-selective C-H functionalization of aliphatic alkyl chains is a longstanding challenge in oxidation catalysis, given the comparable relative reactivity of the different methylenes. A supramolecular, bioinspired approach is described to address this challenge. A Mn complex able to catalyze C(sp )-H hydroxylation with H O is equipped with 18-benzocrown-6 ether receptors that bind ammonium substrates via hydrogen bonding. Reversible pre-association of protonated primary aliphatic amines with the crown ether selectively exposes remote positions (C8 and C9) to the oxidizing unit, resulting in a site-selective oxidation. Remarkably, such control of selectivity retains its efficiency for a whole series of linear amines, overriding the intrinsic reactivity of C-H bonds, no matter the chain length.

An iminopyridine FeIJII) complex, easily prepared in situ by self-assembly of cheap and commercially available\ud starting materials (2-picolylaldehyde, 2-picolylamine, and FeIJOTf)2 in a 2 : 2 : 1 ratio), is shown to be an\ud effective catalyst for the direct hydroxylation of aromatic rings with H2O2 under mild conditions. This catalyst\ud shows a marked preference for aromatic ring hydroxylation over lateral chain oxidation, both in intramolecular\ud and intermolecular competitions, as long as the arene is not too electron poor. The selectivity\ud pattern of the reaction closely matches that of electrophilic aromatic substitutions, with phenol yields and\ud positions dictated by the nature of the ring substituent (electron-donating or electron-withdrawing, orthopara\ud or meta-orienting). The oxidation mechanism has been investigated in detail, and the sum of the accumulated\ud pieces of evidence, ranging from KIE to the use of radical scavengers, from substituent effects\ud on intermolecular and intramolecular selectivity to rearrangement experiments, points to the predominance\ud of a metal-based SEAr pathway, without a significant involvement of free diffusing radical pathways

A family of imine-based nonheme iron(II) complexes (LX)2Fe(OTf)2 has been prepared, characterized, and employed as C-H oxidation catalysts. Ligands LX (X = 1, 2, 3, and 4) stand for tridentate imine ligands resulting from spontaneous condensation of 2-pycolyl-amine and 4-substituted-2-picolyl aldehydes. Fast and quantitative formation of the complex occurs just upon mixing aldehyde, amine, and Fe(OTf)2 in a 2:2:1 ratio in acetonitrile solution. The solid-state structures of (L1)2Fe(OTf)(ClO4) and (L3)2Fe(OTf)2 are reported, showing a low-spin octahedral iron center, with the ligands arranged in a meridional fashion. (1)H NMR analyses indicate that the solid-state structure and spin state is retained in solution. These analyses also show the presence of an amine-imine tautomeric equilibrium. (LX)2Fe(OTf)2 efficiently catalyze the oxidation of alkyl C-H bonds employing H2O2 as a terminal oxidant. Manipulation of the electronic properties of the imine ligand has only a minor impact on efficiency and selectivity of the oxidative process. A mechanistic study is presented, providing evidence that C-H oxidations are metal-based. Reactions occur with stereoretention at the hydroxylated carbon and selectively at tertiary over secondary C-H bonds. Isotopic labeling analyses show that H2O2 is the dominant origin of the oxygen atoms inserted in the oxygenated product. Experimental evidence is provided that reactions involve initial oxidation of the complexes to the ferric state, and it is proposed that a ligand arm dissociates to enable hydrogen peroxide binding and activation. Selectivity patterns and isotopic labeling studies strongly suggest that activation of hydrogen peroxide occurs by heterolytic O-O cleavage, without the assistance of a cis-binding water or alkyl carboxylic acid. The sum of these observations provides sound evidence that controlled activation of H2O2 at (LX)2Fe(OTf)2 differs from that occurring in biomimetic iron catalysts described to date.

The oxidation of a series of aryl diphenylmethyl sulfides (4-X-C6H4SCH(C6H5)2, where X = OCH3 (1), X = CH3 (2), X = H (3), and X = CF3 (4)) promoted by the nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complex [(N4Py)Fe(IV)═O](2+) occurs by an electron transfer-oxygen transfer (ET-OT) mechanism as supported by the observation of products (diphenylmethanol, benzophenone, and diaryl disulfides) deriving from α-C-S and α-C-H fragmentation of radical cations 1(+•)-4(+•), formed besides the S-oxidation products (aryl diphenylmethyl sulfoxides). The fragmentation/S-oxidation product ratios regularly increase through a decrease in the electron-donating power of the aryl substituents, that is, by increasing the fragmentation rate constants of the radical cations as indicated by a laser flash photolysis (LFP) study of the photochemical oxidation of 1-4 carried out in the presence of N-methoxyphenanthridinium hexafluorophosphate (MeOP(+)PF6(-)).

The oxidation of a series of hydrocarbons by the nonheme iron­(IV)–oxo complex [(N4Py)­FeIVO]2+ is efficiently mediated by N-hydroxyphthalimide. The increase of reactivity is associated to the oxidation of the mediator to the phthalimide N-oxyl radical, which efficiently abstracts a hydrogen atom from the substrates, regenerating the mediator in its reduced form.

We previously reported that the iminopyridine iron(ii) complex 1, easily and quantitatively obtainable in situ, can activate HO to form a powerful oxidant, capable of aliphatic C-H bond hydroxylation. In the present study we expand the application of this catalyst to the oxidation of a series of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds. The oxidation of aliphatic alcohols proceeds smoothly, while that of benzylic alcohols is shown to be challenging. Some collected pieces of evidence suggest a preference of the oxidizing species for the aromatic ring instead for the alcoholic moiety. The decrease of the electron density in the aromatic ring shifts the oxidation from the aromatic towards the alcoholic moiety. Quite surprisingly, preferential oxidation of cyclohexanol versus benzylic alcohol was achieved, showing unprecedented selectivity.

An innovative approach aimed at disclosing the mechanism of chemical reactions occurring in solution on the millisecond time scale is presented. Time-resolved energy dispersive X-ray absorption and UV/vis spectroscopies with millisecond resolution are used simultaneously to directly follow the evolution of both the oxidation state and the local structure of the metal center in an iron complex. Two redox reactions are studied, the former involving the transformation of Fe into two subsequent Fe species and the latter involving the more complex Fe-Fe-Fe-Fe sequence. The structural modifications occurring around the iron center are correlated to the reaction mechanisms. This combined approach has the potential to provide unique insights into reaction mechanisms in the liquid phase and represents a new powerful tool to characterize short-lived intermediates that are silent to common spectroscopic techniques.

N-demethylation of N,N-dimethylanilines promoted by [(N4Py)Fe(IV)=O](2+) occurs by an electron transfer-proton transfer (ET-PT) mechanism with a rate determining PT step. From the bell-shaped curve of the KDIE profile it has been estimated that the pK(a) of [(N4Py)Fe(III)-OH](2+) is 9.7.