The new complex [Co2(L)2]2- (L = N(o-PhNHC(O)iPr)) (1 )1 reacts with molecular oxygen to perform catalytic aerobic deformylation and oxidation of catechols under mild conditions and without a co-reductant.  To gain insight into the active oxygen intermediate, an analog using CN- was studied.  Upon reacting 1  with two equivalents of CN-, the starting dimer splits apart into two equivalents of [Co(L)(CN)]2-.  We therefore propose the oxygen complex to be a monomeric species of the form [Co(L)(O2)]-.  Different possible binding modes (end-on superoxide, side-on peroxide) of O2 to the Co center were studied.  Computational results suggest the active species is a [Co(L)(O2)]- end-on superoxide complex that remains in the Co(II) oxidation state due to the redox non-innocent nature of the L ligand. Sharma, S. K.; May, P. S.; Jones, M. B.; Lense, S.; Hardcastle, K. I.; MacBeth, C. E. Chem. Commun., 2011 , 47, 1827-1829.

Ligand-assisted molecular oxygen activation in a cobalt complex

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.