μ-Oxo-bridged diiron(iii) complexes of tripodal 4N ligands as catalysts for alkane hydroxylation reaction using -CPBA as an oxidant: substrate self hydroxylation.

A series of non-heme μ-oxo-bridged dinuclear iron(iii) complexes of the type [Fe(μ-O)(L1-L6)Cl]Cl1-6 have been isolated and their catalytic activity towards oxidative transformation of alkanes into alcohols has been studied using -choloroperbenzoic acid (-CPBA) as an oxidant. All the complexes were characterized by CHN, electrochemical, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of 2 and 5 have been determined successfully by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and both possesses octahedral coordination geometry and each iron atom is coordinated by four nitrogen atoms of the 4N ligand and a bridging oxygen.