Ferric-hydroperoxo complexes have been identified as intermediates in the catalytic cycle of biological oxidants, but their role as key oxidants is still a matter of debate. Among the numerous synthetic low-spin Fe(III)(OOH) complexes characterized to date, [(L(5)(2))Fe(OOH)](2+) is the only one that has been isolated in the solid state at low temperature, which has provided a unique opportunity for inspecting its oxidizing properties under single-turnover conditions. In this report we show that [(L(5)(2))Fe(OOH)](2+) decays in the presence of aromatic substrates, such as anisole and benzene in acetonitrile, with first-order kinetics. In addition, the phenol products are formed from the aromatic substrates with similar first-order rate constants. Combining the kinetic data obtained at different temperatures and under different single-turnover experimental conditions with experiments performed under catalytic conditions by using the substrate [1,3,5-D(3)]benzene, which showed normal kinetic isotope effects (KIE>1) and a notable hydride shift (NIH shift), has allowed us to clarify the role played by Fe(III)(OOH) in aromatic oxidation. Several lines of experimental evidence in support of the previously postulated mechanism for the formation of two caged Fe(IV)(O) and OH(·) species from the Fe(III)(OOH) complex have been obtained for the first time. After homolytic O-O cleavage, a caged pair of oxidants [Fe(IV)O+HO(·)] is generated that act in unison to hydroxylate the aromatic ring: HO(·) attacks the ring to give a hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical, which is further oxidized by Fe(IV)O to give a cationic intermediate that gives rise to a NIH shift upon ketonization before the final re-aromatization step. Spin-trapping experiments in the presence of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide and GC-MS analyses of the intermediate products further support the proposed mechanism.

We report the synthesis, characterization, and solution chemistry of a series of new Fe(II) complexes based on the tetradentate ligand N-methyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridyl-methyl)-1,2-diaminoethane or the pentadentate ones N,N',N'-tris(2-pyridyl-methyl)-1,2-diaminoethane and N,N',N'-tris(2-pyridyl-methyl)-1,3-diaminopropane, modified by propynyl or methoxyphenyltriazolyl groups on the amino functions. Six of these complexes are characterized by X-ray crystallography. In particular, two of them exhibit an hexadentate coordination environment around Fe(II) with two amino, three pyridyl, and one triazolyl groups. UV-visible and cyclic voltammetry experiments of acetonitrile solutions of the complexes allow to deduce accurately the structure of all Fe(II) species in equilibrium. The stability of the complexes could be ranked as follows: [L(5)Fe(II)-py](2+) > [L(5)Fe(II)-Cl](+) > [L(5)Fe(II)-triazolyl](2+) > [L(5)Fe(II)-(NCMe)](2+), where L(5) designates a pentadentate coordination sphere composed of the two amines of ethanediamine and three pyridines. For complexes based on propanediamine, the hierarchy determined is [L(5)Fe(II)-Cl](+) > [L(5)Fe(II)(OTf)](+) > [L(5)Fe(II)-(NCMe)](2+), and no ligand exchange could be evidenced for [L(5)Fe(II)-triazolyl](2+). Reactivity of the [L(5)Fe(II)-triazolyl](2+) complexes with hydrogen peroxide and PhIO is similar to the one of the parent complexes that lack this peculiar group, that is, generation of Fe(III)(OOH) and Fe(IV)(O), respectively. Accordingly, the ability of these complexes at catalyzing the oxidation of small organic molecules by these oxidants follows the tendencies of their previously reported counterparts. Noteworthy is the remarkable cyclooctene epoxidation activity by these complexes in the presence of PhIO.