Monomeric Fe(III)-Hydroxo and Fe(III)-Aqua Complexes Display Oxidative Asynchronous Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reactivity.

This paper presents the synthesis and characterization of a series of novel monomeric aqua-ligated iron(III) complexes, [Fe(L)(OH)] (R=OMe, H, Cl, NO), supported by an amide-containing pentadentate N donor ligand, L [HL=2-(((1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl)(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)amino)-N-(5-R-quinolin-8-yl)acetamide]. The complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic and analytical techniques, including electrochemistry and magnetic measurements. The Fe(III)-hydroxo complexes, [Fe(L)(OH)], were generated in situ by deprotonating the corresponding aqua complexes in a pH ~7 aqueous medium.