Biomimetic alkane hydroxylations by an iron(III) porphyrin complex with H2O2 and by a high-valent iron(IV) oxo porphyrin cation radical complex

Research was conducted to examine biomimetic alkane hydroxylations by an iron(III) porphyrin complex with H2O2 and by a high-valent iron(IV) oxo porphyrin cation radical complex. Results demonstrate that an electronegatively-substituted iron porphyrin complex efficiently catalyzes the hydroxylation of alkanes by H2O2 via radical-free oxidation reactions in aprotic solvvent and that an isolated high-valent iron(IV) oxo porphyrin cation radical intermediate of the iron porphyrin complex can activate C-H bonds of alkanes to give oxygenated products efficiently at low temperatures.