We show by experiments that nonheme Fe(IV)O species react with cyclohexene to yield selective hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions with virtually no C═C epoxidation. Straightforward DFT calculations reveal, however, that C═C epoxidation on the S = 2 state possesses a low-energy barrier and should contribute substantially to the oxidation of cyclohexene by the nonheme Fe(IV)O species. By modeling the selectivity of this two-site reactivity, we show that an interplay of tunneling and spin inversion probability (SIP) reverses the apparent barriers and prefers exclusive S = 1 HAT over mixed HAT and C═C epoxidation on S = 2. The model enables us to derive a SIP value by combining experimental and theoretical results.

A comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the reactivity patterns and reaction mechanisms in alkane hydroxylation, olefin epoxidation, cyclohexene oxidation, and sulfoxidation reactions by a mononuclear nonheme ruthenium(IV)-oxo complex, [Ru(IV)(O)(terpy)(bpm)](2+) (1), has been conducted. In alkane hydroxylation (i.e., oxygen rebound vs oxygen non-rebound mechanisms), both the experimental and theoretical results show that the substrate radical formed via a rate-determining H atom abstraction of alkanes by 1 prefers dissociation over oxygen rebound and desaturation processes. In the oxidation of olefins by 1, the observations of a kinetic isotope effect (KIE) value of 1 and styrene oxide formation lead us to conclude that an epoxidation reaction via oxygen atom transfer (OAT) from the Ru(IV)O complex to the C═C double bond is the dominant pathway. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the epoxidation reaction is a two-step, two-spin-state process. In contrast, the oxidation of cyclohexene by 1 affords products derived from allylic C-H bond oxidation, with a high KIE value of 38(3). The preference for H atom abstraction over C═C double bond epoxidation in the oxidation of cyclohexene by 1 is elucidated by DFT calculations, which show that the energy barrier for C-H activation is 4.5 kcal mol(-1) lower than the energy barrier for epoxidation. In the oxidation of sulfides, sulfoxidation by the electrophilic Ru-oxo group of 1 occurs via a direct OAT mechanism, and DFT calculations show that this is a two-spin-state reaction in which the transition state is the lowest in the S = 0 state.

Give me an "O"! Mononuclear nonheme iron(IV) oxo complexes have been generated using water as an oxygen source and cerium(IV) as an oxidant. The high-yield oxygenation of organic substrates in this system (see picture, Fe green, O red, N blue, C gray) is catalyzed by iron(II) complexes. The source of oxygen in the iron(IV) oxo complexes and the oxygenated products has been assigned unambiguously by isotopic labeling experiments.

Two‐state reactivity involving close triplet ground and quintet excited states is responsible for the opposite reactivity trends of FeIV oxo complexes in O‐transfer and H‐abstraction reactions in dependence on the electron richness of the axial ligand X (see picture), as shown by comparison with RuIV analogues, in which both reactivities are solely governed by the electrophilicity of the complex because the quintet state is inaccessible.

Activation of dioxygen (O2) in enzymatic and biomimetic reactions has been intensively investigated over the past several decades. More recently, O–O bond formation, which is the reverse of the O2-activation reaction, has been the focus of current research. Herein, we report the O2-activation and O–O bond formation reactions by manganese corrole complexes. In the O2-activation reaction, Mn(V)-oxo and Mn(IV)-peroxo intermediates were formed when Mn(III) corroles were exposed to O2 in the presence of base (e.g., OH−) and hydrogen atom (H atom) donor (e.g., THF or cyclic olefins); the O2-activation reaction did not occur in the absence of base and H atom donor. Moreover, formation of the Mn(V)-oxo and Mn(IV)-peroxo species was dependent on the amounts of base present in the reaction solution. The role of the base was proposed to lower the oxidation potential of the Mn(III) corroles, thereby facilitating the binding of O2 and forming a Mn(IV)-superoxo species. The putative Mn(IV)-superoxo species was then converted to the corresponding Mn(IV)-hydroperoxo species by abstracting a H atom from H atom donor, followed by the O–O bond cleavage of the putative Mn(IV)-hydroperoxo species to form a Mn(V)-oxo species. We have also shown that addition of hydroxide ion to the Mn(V)-oxo species afforded the Mn(IV)-peroxo species via O–O bond formation and the resulting Mn(IV)-peroxo species reverted to the Mn(V)-oxo species upon addition of proton, indicating that the O–O bond formation and cleavage reactions between the Mn(V)-oxo and Mn(IV)-peroxo complexes are reversible. The present study reports the first example of using the same manganese complex in both O2-activation and O–O bond formation reactions.

Three new tetrathiomolybdates (pipH2)[MoS4] (1), (trenH2)[MoS4]·H2O (2) and [(prop)4N]2- [MoS4] (3) (pip = piperazine, tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine and prop = n-propyl) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray crystallography, and thermoanalysis. All compounds were prepared by the base promoted cation exchange method, i.e. by the reaction of the ammonium salt of [MoS4]2− with the corresponding organic amine or organic ammonium hydroxide. In the compounds 1 and 2 the organic amines pip and tren are diprotonated and they are linked to the tetrahedral [MoS4]2− dianions through weak hydrogen bonding interactions. The strength and number of these hydrogen bonds affect the Mo-S bond lengths and a relatively long Mo-S bond of 2.2114(8) Å is observed in 1 while the longest Mo-S bond in 2 is 2.1951(5) Å . In compound 3 no S···H-N interactions are possible and the Mo-S bond lengths scatter in a more narrow range compared to those in compounds 1 and 2. The thermal behavior was investigated using differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. On heating compound 1 decomposes in two closely related steps while 2 loses first the crystal water followed by the decomposition of the tetrathiomolybdate. The final products are amorphous molybdenum sulfides. The decomposition of compound 3 yields a very porous material with sponge-like morphology.

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