Nonheme and heme iron monooxygenases participate in oxidative N-dealkylation reactions in nature, and high-valent oxoiron(IV) species have been invoked as active oxidants that effect the oxygenation of organic substrates. The present study describes the first example of the oxidative N-dealkylation of N,N-dialkylamines by synthetic nonheme oxoiron(IV) complexes and the reactivity comparisons of nonheme and heme oxoiron(IV) complexes. Detailed mechanistic studies were performed with various N,N-dialkylaniline substrates such as para-substituted N,N-dimethylanilines, para-chloro-N-ethyl-N-methylaniline, para-chloro-N-cyclopropyl-N-isopropylaniline, and deuteriated N,N-dimethylanilines. The results of a linear free-energy correlation, inter- and intramolecular kinetic isotope effects, and product analysis studied with the mechanistic probes demonstrate that the oxidative N-dealkylation reactions by nonheme and heme oxoiron(IV) complexes occur via an electron transfer-proton transfer (ET-PT) mechanism.

An advanced intermediate: A nonheme iron(IV) oxo complex [FeIV(O)(bqen)(L)]n+ (bqen=N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis(8‐quinolyl)ethane‐1,2‐diamine, L=CH3CN or CF3SO3−) activates the CH bonds of alkanes and alcohols by a hydrogen‐atom abstraction mechanism. The catalytic oxidation of these species is proposed to occur through a nonheme iron(V) oxo species, with a high reactivity in oxidation reactions (see picture).

A non-heme manganese(II) complex shows a high catalytic activity in the epoxidation of olefins by iodosyl benzene and in the oxidation of olefins, alcohols and alkanes by peracetic acid; a mechanism involving metal-based oxidants is proposed for the oxidation reactions.

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