Oxidative N-dealkylation reactions by oxoiron(IV) complexes of nonheme and heme ligands

Inorg Chem. 2007 Jan 8;46(1):293-8. doi: 10.1021/ic0614014.

Abstract

Nonheme and heme iron monooxygenases participate in oxidative N-dealkylation reactions in nature, and high-valent oxoiron(IV) species have been invoked as active oxidants that effect the oxygenation of organic substrates. The present study describes the first example of the oxidative N-dealkylation of N,N-dialkylamines by synthetic nonheme oxoiron(IV) complexes and the reactivity comparisons of nonheme and heme oxoiron(IV) complexes. Detailed mechanistic studies were performed with various N,N-dialkylaniline substrates such as para-substituted N,N-dimethylanilines, para-chloro-N-ethyl-N-methylaniline, para-chloro-N-cyclopropyl-N-isopropylaniline, and deuteriated N,N-dimethylanilines. The results of a linear free-energy correlation, inter- and intramolecular kinetic isotope effects, and product analysis studied with the mechanistic probes demonstrate that the oxidative N-dealkylation reactions by nonheme and heme oxoiron(IV) complexes occur via an electron transfer-proton transfer (ET-PT) mechanism.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Heme / chemistry*
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Ligands
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nonheme Iron Proteins / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen / chemistry*

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Nonheme Iron Proteins
  • Heme
  • Iron
  • Oxygen