Understanding the mechanism of H(+)-induced demetalation as a design strategy for robust iron(III) peroxide-activating catalysts.

The FeIII-TAML (tetra-amido macrocyclic ligand) activators 1 (Y = Cl) and 2 (Y = H2O), a (R = Me, X = H), b (Me, Cl), c (Me, MeO), d (Et, Cl), e (F, H), f (F, Cl), are five-coordinated in the solid state (X-ray crystallography) but are six-coordinated species in water with two H2O axial ligands. The first pKa's of aqueous ligands are in the range of 9.5-10.