Catalytic Electron‐Transfer Oxygenation of Substrates with Water as an Oxygen Source Using Manganese Porphyrins

Manganese(V)–oxo–porphyrins are produced by the electron‐transfer oxidation of manganese–porphyrins with tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(III) (Ru(bpy)₃]³⁺; 2 equiv) in acetonitrile (CH₃CN) containing water. The rate constants of the electron‐transfer oxidation of manganese–porphyrins have been determined and evaluated in light of the Marcus theory of electron transfer. Addition of Ru(bpy)₃]³⁺ to a solution of olefins (styrene and cyclohexene) in CH₃CN containing water in the presence of a catalytic amount of manganese–porphyrins afforded epoxides, diols, and aldehydes efficiently. Epoxides were converted to the corresponding diols by hydrolysis, and were further oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes. The turnover numbers vary significantly depending on the type of manganese–porphyrin used owing to the difference in their oxidation potentials and the steric bulkiness of the ligand. Ethylbenzene was also oxidized to 1‐phenylethanol using manganese–porphyrins as electron‐transfer catalysts. The oxygen source in the substrate oxygenation was confirmed to be water by using ¹⁸O‐labeled water. The rate constant of the reaction of the manganese(V)–oxo species with cyclohexene was determined directly under single‐turnover conditions by monitoring the increase in absorbance attributable to the manganese(III) species produced in the reaction with cyclohexene. It has been shown that the rate‐determining step in the catalytic electron‐transfer oxygenation of cyclohexene is electron transfer from Ru(bpy)₃]³⁺ to the manganese–porphyrins.