Coordination of FeCl3 to
the redox-active pyridine–aminophenol
ligand NNOH2 in the presence
of base and under aerobic conditions generates FeCl2(NNOISQ) (1), featuring
high-spin FeIII and an NNOISQ radical ligand. The complex has an overall S = 2 spin state, as deduced from experimental and computational data.
The ligand-centered radical couples antiferromagnetically with the
Fe center. Readily available, well-defined, and air-stable 1 catalyzes the challenging intramolecular direct C(sp3)–H amination of unactivated organic azides to generate a
range of saturated N-heterocycles with the highest turnover number
(TON) (1 mol% of 1, 12 h, TON = 62; 0.1 mol% of 1, 7 days, TON = 620) reported to date. The catalyst is easily
recycled without noticeable loss of catalytic activity. A detailed
kinetic study for C(sp3)–H amination of 1-azido-4-phenylbutane
(S1) revealed zero order in the
azide substrate and first order in both the catalyst and Boc2O. A cationic iron complex, generated from the neutral precatalyst
upon reaction with Boc2O, is proposed as the catalytically
active species.