The activation and utilization of molecular oxygen by late transition metal complexes offers a method for green oxidation. The transformations needed to realize an efficient oxidation catalyst are not well understood, as synthetic metal complexes have historically been kept isolated from oxygen. Biological systems, however, have inherently found methods to activate O<sub>2 </sub>utilizing available protons, often reducing a bound oxygen molecule to water and an oxidative equivalent. We look to mimic that behavior in small organometallic complexes. Chelating ligands with ancillary protic sites were synthesized and coordinated to late transition metal centers. The novel complexes, capable of exhibiting metal-ligand cooperation through hydrogen bonding and/or protonation, were fully characterized and their reactivity with O<sub>2</sub> was investigated.

Late transition metal complexes of protic bifunctional ligands: Activation of molecular oxygen

251st National Meeting (2016)

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