PNNL

Abstract

We report the use of the reported Fe-phthalocyanine complex, PcFe (1; Pc = 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octaethoxy-phthalocyanine), to generate the PcFe-amine complexes, 1-(NH3)2, 1-(MeNH2)2, and 1-(Me2NH)2. Treatment of 1 or 1-(NH3)2 to an excess of the stable aryloxide radical, 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxyl radical (tBuArO•), under NH3 resulted in catalytic H-atom abstraction (HAA) and C–N coupling to generate the product, 4-amino-2,4,6-tri-tert-butylcyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-one (2), and tBuArOH. Exposing 1-(NH3)2 to an excess of the trityl (CPh3) variant, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-tritylphenoxyl radical (TrArO•), under NH3 did not lead to catalytic ammonia oxidation as previously reported in a related Ru-porphyrin complex. However, pronounced coordination-induced bond weakening of both ? N–H and ? C–H in the alkylamine congeners, 1-(MeNH2)2 and 1-(Me2NH)2, led to multiple HAA events yielding the unsaturated cyanide complex, 1-(MeNH2)(CN), and imine complex, 1-(MeN=CH2)2, respectively. Subsequent C–N bond formation was also observed in the latter upon addition of a coordinating ligand. Detailed computational studies support an alternating mechanism involving sequential N–H and C–H HAA to generate these unsaturated products.