Catalytic oxidation of alkanes by a (salen)osmium(VI) nitrido complex using H2O2 as the terminal oxidant

Man Chen; Yi Pan; Hoi-Ki Kwong; Raymond J Zeng; Kai-Chung Lau; Tai-Chu Lau

doi:10.1039/c5cc03636d

Catalytic oxidation of alkanes by a (salen)osmium(VI) nitrido complex using H2O2 as the terminal oxidant

Chem Commun (Camb). 2015 Sep 14;51(71):13686-9. doi: 10.1039/c5cc03636d.

Authors

Man Chen¹, Yi Pan, Hoi-Ki Kwong, Raymond J Zeng, Kai-Chung Lau, Tai-Chu Lau

Affiliation

¹ Advanced Laboratory for Environmental Research & Technology (ALERT), USTC-CityU, Suzhou 215123, China. bhtclau@cityu.edu.hk.

PMID: 26229990
DOI: 10.1039/c5cc03636d

Abstract

The osmium(VI) nitrido complex, [Os(VI)(N)(L)(CH3OH)](+) (1, L = N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-o-cyclohexyldiamine dianion) is an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of alkanes under ambient conditions using H2O2 as the oxidant. Alkanes are oxidized to the corresponding alcohols and ketones, with yields up to 75% and turnover numbers up to 2230. Experimental and computational studies are consistent with a mechanism that involves O-atom transfer from H2O2 to [Os(VI)(N)(L)](+) to generate an [Os(VIII)(N)(O)(L)](+) active intermediate.