Activation of Molecular Oxygen and Selective Oxidation with Metal Complexes

. Thus, we have shown that an Fe(II)-bisimidazolidinyl-pyridine complex catalyzes selective oxygenation of C-H bonds in ethers with concomitant release of hydrogen gas instead of water, and when the iron center is replaced with Fe(III), selective oxidative cleavage of C═C bonds of olefins becomes feasible. To address the low activity of the iron complex in oxidizing less active olefins, we have developed a Mn(II)-bipyridine complex, which catalyzes oxidative cleavage of C═C bonds in aliphatic olefins, C-C bonds in diols, and carboxyl units in carboxylic acids under visible light irradiation. Light is necessary in the oxidation to cleave an off-cycle, inactive manganese dimer into a catalytically active Mn═O…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22472089, 22172096
• HE
  Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project

  Award: 14041
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: EP/R511729/1, EP/R009694/1, EP/R009694/1
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Awards: GK202002003, GK202307007
• NS
  Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province

  Award: 2021JC-30