Chromium(v)-oxo and chromium(iii)-superoxo complexes bearing a macrocyclic TMC ligand in hydrogen atom abstraction reactions

Abstract

A Cr(V)-oxo complex bearing a macrocyclic TMC ligand, [CrV(TMC)(O)(OCH3)]2+, was synthesized, isolated, and characterized by various physicochemical methods, including UV-vis, ESI-MS, resonance Raman, EPR and X-ray analysis. The reactivity of the Cr(V)-oxo complex was investigated in C–H and O–H bond activation reactions. The reactivity of a Cr(III)-superoxo complex, [CrIII(TMC)(O2)(Cl)]+, was investigated in O–H bond activation reactions as well. By comparing reactivities of the Cr(III)-superoxo and Cr(V)-oxo complexes under the identical reaction conditions, we were able to demonstrate that the Cr(III)-superoxo complex is more reactive than the Cr(V)-oxo complex in the activation of C–H and O–H bonds. The present results provide strong evidence that under certain circumstances, metal-superoxo species can be an alternative oxidant for high-valent metal-oxo complexes in oxygenation reactions.