Sequential reaction intermediates in aliphatic C-H bond functionalization initiated by a bis(mu-oxo)dinickel(III) complex

The reaction of Ni2(OH)2(Me2-tpa)2]2+ (1) (Me2-tpa = bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) with H2O2 causes oxidation of a methylene group on the Me2-tpa ligand to give an N-dealkylated ligand and oxidation of a methyl group to afford a ligand-based carboxylate and an alkoxide as the final oxidation products. A series of sequential reaction intermediates produced in the oxidation pathways, a bis(mu-oxo)dinickel(III) (Ni2(O)2(Me2-tpa)2]2+ (2)), a bis(mu-superoxo)dinickel(II) (Ni2(O2)2(Me2-tpa)2]2+ (3)), a (mu-hydroxo)(mu-alkylperoxo)dinickel(II) (Ni2(OH)(Me2-tpa)(Me-tpa-CH2OO)]2+ (4)), and a bis(mu-alkylperoxo)dinickel(II) (Ni2(Me-tpa-CH2OO)2]2+ (5)), was isolated and characterized by various physicochemical measurements including X-ray crystallography, and their oxidation pathways were investigated. Reaction of 1 with H2O2 in methanol at -40 degrees C generates 2, which is extremely reactive with H2O2, producing 3. Complex 2 was isolated only from disproportionation of the superoxo ligands in 3 in the absence of H2O2 at -40 degrees C. Thermal decomposition of 2 under N2 generated an N-dealkylated ligand Me-dpa ((6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) and a ligand-coupling dimer (Me-tpa-CH2)2. The formation of (Me-tpa-CH2)2 suggests that a ligand-based radical Me-tpa-CH2* is generated as a reaction intermediate, probably produced by H-atom abstraction by the oxo group. An isotope-labeling experiment revealed that intramolecular coupling occurs for the formation of the coupling dimer. The results indicate that the rebound of oxygen to Me-tpa-CH2* is slower than that observed for various high-valence bis(mu-oxo)dimetal complexes. In contrast, the decomposition of 2 and 3 in the presence of O2 gave carboxylate and alkoxide ligands, respectively (Me-tpa-COO- and Me-tpa-CH2O-), instead of (Me-tpa-CH2)2, indicating that the reaction of Me-tpa-CH2* with O2 is faster than the coupling of Me-tpa-CH2* to generate ligand-based peroxyl radical Me-tpa-CH2OO*. Although there is a possibility that the Me-tpa-CH2OO* species could undergo various reactions, one of the possible reactive intermediates, 4, was isolated from the decomposition of 3 under O2 at -20 degrees C. The alkylperoxo ligands in 4 and 5 can be converted to a ligand-based aldehyde by either homolysis or heterolysis of the O-O bond, and disproportionation of the aldehyde gives a carboxylate and an alkoxide via the Cannizzaro reaction.