Characterization of nickel(II)-acylperoxo species relevant to catalytic alkane hydroxylation by nickel complex with mCPBA.

Nickel complexes with hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate ( = Tp(R)) ligands catalyze alkane oxidation with organic peroxide meta-Cl-C(6)H(4)C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)OOH ( = mCPBA). The electronic and steric hindrance properties of Tp(R) affect the catalyses. The complex with an electron-withdrawing group containing a less-hindered ligand, that is, Tp(Me2,Br), exhibits higher alcohol selectivity.