Coordination compounds of iron have become increasingly important tools in homogeneous catalysis, due to the low toxicity, great abundance and low price of this metal. Nevertheless, there is only a relatively small number of organometallic iron catalysts. We present the synthesis of cationic iron(II) complexes bearing bis-(N-heterocyclic-carbene-pyridinyl) (NCCN) ligands and their application in the oxidation of unreactive C?H bonds. The catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone was investigated by means of ideal reaction conditions (oxidant, temperature, solvent) and precatalyst (counter anion, variations of the ligand sphere). It is shown that nearly all parameters significantly influence the reactivity in terms of alcohol:ketone ratio and turn over number. Further, more reactive organic substrates were oxidized with respect to chemo- and regioselectivity. Mechanistical studies were undertaken to elucidate possible reaction pathways.

Catalytic C?H bond oxidation of alkanes with iron(II)-NHC-complexes

245th National Meeting (2013)

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