Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions Research Articles

Chemistry of oxidomolybdenum(IV) and -(VI) complexes with ONS donor ligands: Synthesis, computational evaluation and oxo-transfer reactions

A series of dioxidomolybdenum(VI) complexes, [MoVIO2L1–6] (1–6) and [MoVIO2L1–6(solv)] (1a–6a) {where solv (solvent) = DMSO (1a, 3a, 5a and 6a) and H2O (2a and 4a)} have been synthesized using thiosemicarbazone ligands, H2L1–6. Furthermore, six monooxidomolybdenum(IV) complexes [MoIVOL1–6(N-N)] (7–12) {where co-ligand (N-N) = 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) (7, 10 and 11) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) (8, 9 and 12)} have also been synthesized from the corresponding Mo(VI) precursors, [MoVIO2L1–6] (1–6) by oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction. Complexes have been characterized by conventional methods, including X-ray crystallography, and DFT (density functional theory) calculations. OAT reactivity of Mo(VI) and Mo(IV) complexes have been successfully established through the formation of OPPh3 and Me2S. These OAT products have been characterized by 31P NMR (OPPh3), UV–Vis spectroscopy and GC–MS (Me2S) and DFT simulations supported this finding through the prediction of ΔGtotsol for the reaction of oxygen atom transfer. DFT methods suggested that the oxygen atom transfer from [MoVIO2L] species to PPh3 to give [MoIVOL(bipy)] and from DMSO to [MoIVOL(bipy)] to yield [MoVIO2L] is strongly favored, whereas the formation of μ-oxido dimer [MoV2O3L2], is much less probable.

Kinetic and Computational Studies of Rhenium Catalysis for Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions

The rhenium(v)oxo dimer {MeReO(edt)}2 (edt = 1,2-ethanedithiolate) is an effective catalyst for the oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction from pyridine oxide and picoline oxide to triphenylarsine (Ph3As) as oxygen acceptor. Kinetics measurements were carried out by the initial rate method because of the monomerization reaction of the pyridine product with the {MeReO(edt)}2 catalysts. The derived rate is R = k[Re][NO] (where NO is picoline oxide or pyridine oxide) and independent of the Ph3As concentration. The rate constant at room temperature in chloroform is k(PicNO) = 268.1 ± 3.5 L mol−1 s−1 and k(PyNO) = 155.3 ± 2.3 L mol−1 s−1. The analogue rhenium(v)oxo dimer {MeReO(pdt)}2 (pdt = 1,3-propanedithiolate) does not monomerize with pyridine. However, {MeReO(edt)}2 rapidly monomerizes with pyridine. Density functional theory study of the enthalpy of the monomerization reaction shows that the {MeReO(edt)}2 reaction with pyridine is more thermodynamically favoured than {MeReO(pdt)}2 and this is attributed to the higher angle strain on the {MeReO(edt)}2 bridging sulfur. The computational study of the proposed slow step shows that enthalpy of activation (ΔH‡) of ReV oxidation to ReVII is unchanged by varying the substituent on the pyridine oxide.

Selective Catalytic Olefin Epoxidation with MnII-Exchanged MOF-5

Partial substitution of ZnII by MnII in Zn4O(terephthalate)3 (MOF-5) leads to a distorted all-oxygen ligand field supporting a single MnII site, whose structure was confirmed by Mn K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The MnII ion at the MOF-5 node engages in redox chemistry with a variety of oxidants. With tBuSO2PhIO, it produces a putative MnIV-oxo intermediate, which upon further reaction with adventitious hydrogen is trapped as a MnIII–OH species. Most intriguingly, the intermediacy of the high-spin MnIV–oxo species is likely responsible for catalytic activity of the MnII-MOF-5 precatalyst, which in the presence of tBuSO2PhIO catalyzes oxygen atom transfer reactivity to form epoxides from cyclic alkenes with >99% selectivity. These results demonstrate that MOF secondary building units serve as competent platforms for accessing terminal high-valent metal–oxo species that consequently engage in catalytic oxygen atom transfer chemistry owing to the relatively weak ligand fields provided by the SBU.

Acid-facilitated product release from a Mo(IV) center: relevance to oxygen atom transfer reactivity of molybdenum oxotransferases.

We report that pyridinium ions (HPyr+) accelerate the conversion of [Tp*MoIVOCl(OPMe3)] (1) to [Tp*MoIVOCl(NCCH3)] (2) by 103-fold, affording 2 in near-quantitative yield; Tp*=hydrotris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate. This novel reactivity and the mechanism of this reaction were investigated in detail. The formation of 2 followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant (k obs) linearly correlated with [HPyr+]. An Eyring plot revealed that this HPyr+-facilitated reaction has a small positive value of ∆S ‡ indicative of a dissociative interchange (Id)mechanism, different from the slower associative interchange (Ia)mechanism in the absence of HPyr+ marked with a negative ∆S ‡. Interestingly, log(k obs) was found to be linearly correlated to the acidity of substituted pyridinium ions. This novel reactivity is further investigated using combined DFT and ab initio coupled cluster methods. Different reaction pathways, including Id, Ia, and possible alternative routes in the absence or presence of HPyr+, were considered, and enthalpy and free energies were calculated for each pathway. Our computational results further underscored that the Id route is energetically favored in the presence of HPyr+, in contrast with the preferred Ia-NNO pathway in the absence of HPyr+. Our computational results also revealed molecular-level details for the HPyr+-facilitated Id route. Specifically, HPyr+ initially becomes hydrogen-bonded to the oxygen atom of the Mo(IV)-OPMe3 moiety, which lowers the activation barrier for the Mo-OPMe3 bond cleavage in a rate-limiting step to dissociate the OPMe3 product. The implications of our results were discussed in the context of molybdoenzymes, particularly the reductive half-reaction of sulfite oxidase.

Manganese-Oxygen Intermediates in O-O Bond Activation and Hydrogen-Atom Transfer Reactions.

Biological systems capitalize on the redox versatility of manganese to perform reactions involving dioxygen and its derivatives superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and water. The reactions of manganese enzymes influence both human health and the global energy cycle. Important examples include the detoxification of reactive oxygen species by manganese superoxide dismutase, biosynthesis by manganese ribonucleotide reductase and manganese lipoxygenase, and water splitting by the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. Although these enzymes perform very different reactions and employ structurally distinct active sites, manganese intermediates with peroxo, hydroxo, and oxo ligation are commonly proposed in catalytic mechanisms. These intermediates are also postulated in mechanisms of synthetic manganese oxidation catalysts, which are of interest due to the earth abundance of manganese. In this Account, we describe our recent efforts toward understanding O-O bond activation pathways of MnIII-peroxo adducts and hydrogen-atom transfer reactivity of MnIV-oxo and MnIII-hydroxo complexes. In biological and synthetic catalysts, peroxomanganese intermediates are commonly proposed to decay by either Mn-O or O-O cleavage pathways, although it is often unclear how the local coordination environment influences the decay mechanism. To address this matter, we generated a variety of MnIII-peroxo adducts with varied ligand environments. Using parallel-mode EPR and Mn K-edge X-ray absorption techniques, the decay pathway of one MnIII-peroxo complex bearing a bulky macrocylic ligand was investigated. Unlike many MnIII-peroxo model complexes that decay to oxo-bridged-MnIIIMnIV dimers, decay of this MnIII-peroxo adduct yielded mononuclear MnIII-hydroxo and MnIV-oxo products, potentially resulting from O-O bond activation of the MnIII-peroxo unit. These results highlight the role of ligand sterics in promoting the formation of mononuclear products and mark an important step in designing MnIII-peroxo complexes that convert cleanly to high-valent Mn-oxo species. Although some synthetic MnIV-oxo complexes show great potential for oxidizing substrates with strong C-H bonds, most MnIV-oxo species are sluggish oxidants. Both two-state reactivity and thermodynamic arguments have been put forth to explain these observations. To address these issues, we generated a series of MnIV-oxo complexes supported by neutral, pentadentate ligands with systematically perturbed equatorial donation. Kinetic investigations of these complexes revealed a correlation between equatorial ligand-field strength and hydrogen-atom and oxygen-atom transfer reactivity. While this trend can be understood on the basis of the two-state reactivity model, the reactivity trend also correlates with variations in MnIII/IV reduction potential caused by changes in the ligand field. This work demonstrates the dramatic influence simple ligand perturbations can have on reactivity but also illustrates the difficulties in understanding the precise basis for a change in reactivity. In the enzyme manganese lipoxygenase, an active-site MnIII-hydroxo adduct initiates substrate oxidation by abstracting a hydrogen atom from a C-H bond. Precedent for this chemistry from synthetic MnIII-hydroxo centers is rare. To better understand hydrogen-atom transfer by MnIII centers, we developed a pair of MnIII-hydroxo complexes, formed in high yield from dioxygen oxidation of MnII precursors, capable of attacking weak O-H and C-H bonds. Kinetic and computational studies show a delicate interplay between thermodynamic and steric influences in hydrogen-atom transfer reactivity, underscoring the potential of MnIII-hydroxo units as mild oxidants.

Carbon-Based Oxamate Cobalt(III) Complexes as Bioenzyme Mimics for Contaminant Elimination in High Backgrounds of Complicated Constituents.

Complex wastewater with massive components is now a serious environmental issue facing humanity. Selective removal of low-concentration contaminants in mixed constituents holds great promise for increasing water supplies. Bioenzymes like horseradish peroxidase exhibit oxidizing power and selectivity. Here, we manufactured its mimic through immobilizing non-heme oxamate anionic cobalt(III) complex ([CoIII(opba)]−, opba = o-phenylenebis(oxamate)) onto pyridine (Py) modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes ([CoIII(opba)]−-Py-MWCNTs, MWCNTs = multiwalled carbon nanotubes), where MWCNTs captured substrates and Py functioned as the fifth ligand. We chose typical azo dye (C.I. Acid Red 1) and antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) as model substrates. Without •OH, this catalyst could detoxify target micropollutants efficiently at pH from 8 to 11. It also remained efficient in repetitive tests, and the final products were non-poisonous OH-containing acids. Combined with radical scavenger tests and electron paramagnetic resonance result, we speculated that high-valent cobalt-oxo active species and oxygen atom transfer reaction dominated in the reaction pathway. According to density functional theory calculations, the electron spin density distribution order showed that electron-withdrawing ligand was beneficial for inward pulling the excess electron and lowering the corresponding energy levels, achieving an electrophilic-attack enhancement of the catalyst. With target removal property and recyclability, this catalyst is prospective in water detoxication.

MoO2]2+-Mediated Oxygen Atom Transfer via an Unusual Lewis Acid Mechanism.

Density functional theory is applied to the study of the oxygen atom transfer reaction from sulfoxide (DMSO) to phosphine (PMe3) catalyzed by the [MoO2]2+ active core. In this work, two fundamentally different roles are explored for this dioxometal complex in the first step of the catalytic cycle: as an oxidizing agent and as a Lewis acid. The latter turns out to be the favored pathway for the oxygen atom transfer. This finding may have more general implications for similar reactions catalyzed by the same [MoO2]2+ core.

N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of palladium in oxygen atom transfer reactions involving the making and breaking of N-O bonds

Reaction of three equivalents of MesCNO (Mes=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) with one equivalent of [Pd(IPr)(P(p-tolyl)3)] in toluene yields the solid complex [Pd(IPr)(NCMes)(κ2-O–NC-Mes(–N–C(O)Mes))]. Three major steps are proposed to be involved in the reaction based on spectroscopic studies as well as literature precedents for related cycloadditions: i. oxidation of the coordinated phosphine ligand to phosphine oxide ii. oxygen atom transfer forming a CO bond from the N–O bond of MesCNO, and iii. cycloaddition of a final MesCNO ligand to yield product.Addition of two equivalents of NO at low temperature to the in situ generated peroxide complex [Pd(IPr)2(η2-O2)] generates the N-bonded complex trans-[Pd(IPr)2(NO2)2] in keeping with a literature precedent reported for similar complexes. Insight into the energetics of this reaction are probed by DFT calculations using the truncated ligand complex [Pd(IMe)2]. The computed enthalpy of binding of two moles of NO2 to form [Pd(IMe)2(NO2)2] is −112kcal/mol indicating that its preparation from [Pd(IMe)2], N2 and 2O2 is thermodynamically favorable by −96kcal/mol. Crystal structures of [Pd(IPr)(NCMes)(κ2-O–NC-Mes(–N–C(O)Mes))] and trans-[Pd(IPr)2(NO2)2] are reported.

Visible-light photolysis of corrole-manganese(IV) nitrites to generate corrole-manganese(V)-oxo complexes

Photolysis of highly photo-labile corrole-manganese(IV) nitrites by visible light was studied in three corrole systems with different electronic environments. As observed in all three systems, homolytic cleavage of ON bond of nitrite ligand resulted in one-electron photo-oxidation to generate manganese(V)-oxo corroles, as determined by their distinct UV–vis spectra and kinetic behaviors. The spectral and kinetic results are rationalized by a multiple oxidation model, where the electron-demand MnV-oxo species may serve as direct two-electron oxidant for oxygen atom transfer reactions and less electron-demand systems undergo a disproportionation reaction to form a putative manganese(VI)-oxo corrole as the true oxidant.

Kinetics and mechanistic study on deoxygenation of pyridine oxide catalyzed by {MeReVO(pdt)} 2 dimer

The oxorhenium(V) dimer {MeReO(pdt)}2 (where pdt = 1,2-propanedithiolate) catalyze the oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction from the pyridine oxide to triphenylarsine (Ph3As). The rate law is given by ν = k[Re-dimer][PyNO] and zero order dependence on Ph3As. The value of k at 25 °C in CHCl3 is 139 ± 3 L mol−1 s−1. The activation parameters are ΔH‡ = 12.2 ± 1.0 kcal mol−1 and ΔS‡ = −7.9 ± 3.24 cal K−1 mol−1. According to the proposed mechanism, the rate determining step is the oxidation of ReVO to ReVIIO2 and the pyridine release. The triphenylarsine enters the catalytic cycle after the rate determining step. The reaction constant ρ = −1.4 obtained from Hammett correlation with σ for different substituted pyridine N-oxide. The computational study indicates that the oxidation of ReV to ReVII and release of the pyridine step is insensitive to the nature of the substituent on the pyridine with the average estimated activation barrier ≈11.5 kcal/mol from six different substituted pyridine oxide. It is proposed that electron donor substituent enrich the equilibrium of the first step of the proposed mechanism which is the coordination of the pyridine oxide with one rhenium atom to form I1 (Scheme 2). The electron donor substituent on the pyridine increase the concentration of I1 which will increase the rate of the reaction as the ν = k2[I1].

Accelerated Oxygen Atom Transfer and C-H Bond Oxygenation by Remote Redox Changes in Fe3 Mn-Iodosobenzene Adducts.

We report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of [LFe3 (PhPz)3 OMn(s PhIO)][OTf]x (3: x=2; 4: x=3), where 4 is one of very few examples of iodosobenzene-metal adducts characterized by X-ray crystallography. Access to these rare heterometallic clusters enabled differentiation of the metal centers involved in oxygen atom transfer (Mn) or redox modulation (Fe). Specifically, 57 Fe Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy provided unique insights into how changes in oxidation state (FeIII2 FeII MnII vs. FeIII3 MnII ) influence oxygen atom transfer in tetranuclear Fe3 Mn clusters. In particular, a one-electron redox change at a distal metal site leads to a change in oxygen atom transfer reactivity by ca. two orders of magnitude.

Accelerated Oxygen Atom Transfer and C−H Bond Oxygenation by Remote Redox Changes in Fe3Mn‐Iodosobenzene Adducts

AbstractWe report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of [LFe3(PhPz)3OMn(sPhIO)][OTf]x (3: x=2; 4: x=3), where 4 is one of very few examples of iodosobenzene–metal adducts characterized by X‐ray crystallography. Access to these rare heterometallic clusters enabled differentiation of the metal centers involved in oxygen atom transfer (Mn) or redox modulation (Fe). Specifically, 57Fe Mössbauer and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy provided unique insights into how changes in oxidation state (FeIII2FeIIMnII vs. FeIII3MnII) influence oxygen atom transfer in tetranuclear Fe3Mn clusters. In particular, a one‐electron redox change at a distal metal site leads to a change in oxygen atom transfer reactivity by ca. two orders of magnitude.

Reactive Pendant Mn═O in a Synthetic Structural Model of a Proposed S4 State in the Photosynthetic Oxygen Evolving Complex.

The molecular mechanism of the Oxygen Evolving Center of photosystem II has been under debate for decades. One frequently cited proposal is the nucleophilic attack by water hydroxide on a pendant Mn═O moiety, though no chemical example of this reactivity at a manganese cubane cluster has been reported. We describe here the preparation, characterization, and a reactivity study of a synthetic manganese cubane cluster with a pendant manganese-oxo moiety. Reaction of this cluster with alkenes results in oxygen and hydrogen atom transfer reactions to form alcohol- and ketone-based oxygen-containing products. Nitrene transfer from core imides is negligible. The inorganic product is a cluster identical to the precursor, but with the pendant Mn═O moiety replaced by a hydrogen abstracted from the organic substrate, and is isolated in quantitative yield. 18O and 2H isotopic labeling studies confirm the transfer of atoms between the cluster and the organic substrate. The results suggest that the core cubane structure of this model compound remains intact, and that the pendant Mn═O moiety is preferentially reactive.

The Metal or the Ligand? The Preferred Locus for Redox Changes in Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions of Rhenium Amidodiphenoxides.

The rhenium(V) oxo complex oxo(triphenylphosphine) (bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenoxo)amido)rhenium(V), (ONOCat)ReO(PPh3), reacts with molecular oxygen to give triphenylphosphine oxide and the dimeric rhenium(VII) complex fac,anti-(ONOCat)Re(O)(μ-O)2Re(O)(ONOCat). The ONO ligand adopts an unusual fac geometry, presumably to maximize π donation to rhenium; strong π donation is substantiated by the intraligand bond distances (metrical oxidation state = -2.24(9)). Addition of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand IMes to fac,anti-(ONOCat)Re(O)(μ-O)2Re(O)(ONOCat) cleaves the dimer into monomeric C1-symmetric fac-(ONOCat)ReO2(IMes). The monorhenium(VII) complex is deoxygenated by PMe2Ph to give the rhenium(V) compound (ONOCat)ReO(IMes), which can be independently prepared by ligand substitution of (ONOCat)ReO(PPh3). The degree of stereochemical rigidity exhibited by the dioxo compound, as established by dynamic NMR spectroscopy, excludes the intermediacy of mer-(ONOQ)ReVO2(IMes) in this oxygen atom transfer reaction. Thus, oxygen atom transfer takes place preferentially by direct reduction of the oxorhenium(VII) moiety (classical oxygen atom transfer) rather than through initial internal electron transfer and ligand-centered reduction of an oxorhenium(V)-iminoquinone.

Equatorial Ligand Perturbations Influence the Reactivity of Manganese(IV)-Oxo Complexes.

Manganese(IV)-oxo complexes are often invoked as intermediates in Mn-catalyzed C-H bond activation reactions. While many synthetic MnIV -oxo species are mild oxidants, other members of this class can attack strong C-H bonds. The basis for these reactivity differences is not well understood. Here we describe a series of MnIV -oxo complexes with N5 pentadentate ligands that modulate the equatorial ligand field of the MnIV center, as assessed by electronic absorption, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Mn K-edge X-ray absorption methods. Kinetic experiments show dramatic rate variations in hydrogen-atom and oxygen-atom transfer reactions, with faster rates corresponding to weaker equatorial ligand fields. For these MnIV -oxo complexes, the rate enhancements are correlated with both 1) the energy of a low-lying 4 E excited state, which has been postulated to be involved in a two-state reactivity model, and 2) the MnIII/IV reduction potentials.

Synthesis, characterization and oxygen atom transfer reactivity of a pair of Mo(iv)O- and Mo(vi)O2-enedithiolate complexes – a look at both ends of the catalytic transformation

Two new molybdenum complexes (Bu4N)2[MoIVO(ntdt)2] (1) and (Ph4P)2[MoVIO2(ntdt)2] (2) (ntdt = 2-naphthyl-1,4-dithiolate) were synthesized using asymmetric dithiolene precursors and were characterized as structural models for the active site of arsenite oxidase, a molybdopterin bearing enzyme. The ligand was obtained readily by a two-step synthesis starting from 2-bromo-2'-acetonapthone. Complexes 1 and 2 were obtained by reaction of the resulting 4-naphthyl-1,3-dithiol-2-one with metal precursors trans-[MoO2(CN)4]4- and cis-[MoO2(NCS)4]2- respectively. Notably and to the best of our knowledge, this work constitutes the first utilization of the latter in dithiolene chemistry. 1 and 2 were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, by cyclic voltammetry, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis and in case of 1 by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecular structure of compound 1 exhibits the less common cis isomeric form (i.e. the naphthyl groups of the 2-naphthyl-1,4-dithiolate ligands are located on the same side of the MoS4 square base). Structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical data are discussed in context. The catalytic oxo-transfer properties of 1 and 2 were investigated by oxo-transfer reactions from DMSO to PPh3 with varied catalyst : PPh3 ratios. Interestingly, the oxygen atom transfer reaction from DMSO to PPh3 starting from compound 2 was found to be more efficient under the given conditions than when the reduced catalyst 1 was employed as initial species. The two catalytic systems are discussed and compared in terms of their reactivity.

Metal- and additive-free oxygen-atom transfer reaction: an efficient and chemoselective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with cyclic diacyl peroxides.

Metal- and additive-free oxidation of a series of sulfides/thioketones has been achieved using cyclic diacyl peroxides as mild oxygen sources. This protocol features simple manipulation, high chemo- and diastereoselectivity, and a broad substrate scope (up to 42 examples), tolerates many common functional groups, and is scalable and applicable to the late-stage sulfoxidation strategy. A preliminary mechanistic study by quantum mechanical calculations suggests that a single two-electron transfer process is energetically more favorable, and indicates the reactivity of cyclic diacyl peroxides distinct from conventional acyclic acyl peroxides.

Correction: Metal- and additive-free oxygen-atom transfer reaction: an efficient and chemoselective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with cyclic diacyl peroxides.

Correction for 'Metal- and additive-free oxygen-atom transfer reaction: an efficient and chemoselective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with cyclic diacyl peroxides' by Shaoyan Gan et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, 15, 2647-2654.

Reactivity of a Cobalt(III)-Hydroperoxo Complex in Electrophilic Reactions.

The reactivity of mononuclear metal-hydroperoxo adducts has fascinated researchers in many areas due to their diverse biological and catalytic processes. In this study, a mononuclear cobalt(III)-peroxo complex bearing a tetradentate macrocyclic ligand, [CoIII(Me3-TPADP)(O2)]+ (Me3-TPADP = 3,6,9-trimethyl-3,6,9-triaza-1(2,6)-pyridinacyclodecaphane), was prepared by reacting [CoII(Me3-TPADP)(CH3CN)2]2+ with H2O2 in the presence of triethylamine. Upon protonation, the cobalt(III)-peroxo intermediate was converted into a cobalt(III)-hydroperoxo complex, [CoIII(Me3-TPADP)(O2H)(CH3CN)]2+. The mononuclear cobalt(III)-peroxo and -hydroperoxo intermediates were characterized by a variety of physicochemical methods. Results of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry clearly show the transformation of the intermediates: the peak at m/z 339.2 assignable to the cobalt(III)-peroxo species disappears with concomitant growth of the peak at m/z 190.7 corresponding to the cobalt(III)-hydroperoxo complex (with bound CH3CN). Isotope labeling experiments further support the existence of the cobalt(III)-peroxo and -hydroperoxo complexes. In particular, the O-O bond stretching frequency of the cobalt(III)-hydroperoxo complex was determined to be 851 cm-1 for 16O2H samples (803 cm-1 for 18O2H samples), and its Co-O vibrational energy was observed at 571 cm-1 for 16O2H samples (551 cm-1 for 18O2H samples; 568 cm-1 for 16O22H samples) by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Reactivity studies performed with the cobalt(III)-peroxo and -hydroperoxo complexes in organic functionalizations reveal that the latter is capable of conducting oxygen atom transfer with an electrophilic character, whereas the former exhibits no oxygen atom transfer reactivity under the same reaction conditions. Alternatively, the cobalt(III)-hydroperoxo complex does not perform hydrogen atom transfer reactions, while analogous low-spin Fe(III)-hydroperoxo complexes are capable of this reactivity. Density functional theory calculations indicate that this lack of reactivity is due to the high free energy cost of O-O bond homolysis that would be required to produce the hypothetical Co(IV)-oxo product.

Zero‐Valent Amino‐Olefin Cobalt Complexes as Catalysts for Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions from Nitrous Oxide

AbstractThe synthesis and characterization of several zero‐valent cobalt complexes with a bis(olefin)‐amino ligand is presented. Some of these complexes proved to be efficient catalysts for the selective oxidation of secondary and allylic phosphanes, as well as diphosphanes, even with a direct P−P bond. With 5 mol % catalyst loadings the oxidations proceed under mild conditions (25–70 °C, 7–22 h, 2 bar N2O) and afford good to excellent yields (65–98 %). In this process, the greenhouse gas N2O is catalytically converted into benign N2 and added‐value organophosphorus compounds, some of which are difficult to obtain otherwise.