Synthesis and reactivity of a mononuclear non-haem cobalt(IV)-oxo complex.

Wang, Bin; Lee, Yong-Min; Tcho, Woon-Young; Tussupbayev, Samat; Kim, Seoung-Tae; Kim, Yujeong; Seo, Mi Sook; Cho, Kyung-Bin et al. · Nat Commun · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Terminal cobalt(IV)-oxo (Co<sup>IV</sup>-O) species have been implicated as key intermediates in various cobalt-mediated oxidation reactions. Herein we report the photocatalytic generation of a mononuclear non-haem [(13-TMC)Co<sup>IV</sup>(O)]<sup>2+</sup> (2) by irradiating [Co<sup>II</sup>(13-TMC)(CF<sub>3</sub>SO<sub>3</sub>)]<sup>+</sup> (1) in the presence of [Ru<sup>II</sup>(bpy)<sub>3</sub>]<sup>2+</sup>, Na<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub>, and water as an oxygen source. The intermediate 2 was also obtained by reacting 1 with an artificial oxidant (that is, iodosylbenzene) and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. In particular, the resonance Raman spectrum of 2 reveals a diatomic Co-O vibration band at 770 cm<sup>-1</sup>, which provides the conclusive evidence for the presence of a terminal Co-O bond. In reactivity studies, 2 was shown to be a competent oxidant in an intermetal oxygen atom transfer, C-H bond activation and olefin epoxidation reactions. The present results lend strong credence to the intermediacy of Co<sup>IV</sup>-O species in cobalt-catalysed oxidation of organic substrates as well as in the catalytic oxidation of water that evolves molecular oxygen.