Formation and reactivity of cobalt(III)-dioxygen complexes promoted by 2-methylpropanal: Oxidation of alkenes and alcohols

2-Methylpropanal promotes the formation of cobalt(III)-dioxygen species from catalysts1 or2 and dioxygen. The cobalt(III)-dioxygen complexes efficiently catalyse the oxidation of various alcohols to carbonyl compounds in the presence of dioxygen and 2-methylpropanal. Similarly substituted alkenes are smoothly transformed to the corresponding monoepoxides under these reaction conditions. EPR study of these reactions indicates that different activated dioxygen species are formed in the presence of catalysts1 and2.