Water as an Oxygen Source in the Generation of Mononuclear Nonheme Iron(IV) Oxo Complexes

Abstract

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.