Pinacol cleavage using iron(III)trisphenanthroline complexes

Oxidative bond cleavage of benzpinacol and 2,3-diphenyl-2,3- butanediol have been effected with two Fe(III)(1,10-phenanthroline)₃ complexes which are thought to undergo electron transfer reactions by an outer sphere mechanism. The products of these reactions are exclusively the corresponding ketones when 2,6-di-t-butylpyridine is added to the solution. In contrast to the facile oxidations of these aromatic substrates, pinacol is not cleaved under these reaction conditions.