Superoxo, peroxo, and hydroperoxo complexes formed from reactions of rhodium porphyrins with dioxygen: thermodynamics and kinetics

Rhodium(II) porphyrin complexes react with dioxygen to form terminal superoxo and bridged mu-peroxo complexes. Equilibrium constants for dioxygen complex formation with rhodium(II) tetramesitylporphyrin ((TMP)Rh*) and a m-xylyl-tethered dirhodium(II) diporphyrin complex (*Rh(m-xylyl)Rh*) are reported. (TMP)Rh-H reacts with oxygen to form a transient hydroperoxy complex ((TMP)Rh-OOH), which reacts on to form the rhodium(II) complex ((TMP)Rh*) and water. Kinetic studies for reactions of (TMP)Rh-H with O2 suggest a near concerted addition of dioxygen to the (TMP)Rh-H unit. Reactivity studies for mixtures of H2/O2 and CH4/O2 with the dirhodium(II) complex (*Rh(m-xylyl)Rh*) are reported.