A New Domain of Reactivity for High‐Valent Dinuclear [M(μ‐O)2M′] Complexes in Oxidation Reactions

The strikingly different reactivity of a series of homo‐ and heterodinuclear (M^III)(μ‐O)₂(M^III)′]²⁺ (M=Ni; M′=Fe, Co, Ni and M=M′=Co) complexes with β‐diketiminate ligands in electrophilic and nucleophilic oxidation reactions is reported, and can be correlated to the spectroscopic features of the (M^III)(μ‐O)₂(M^III)′]²⁺ core. In particular, the unprecedented nucleophilic reactivity of the symmetric Ni^III(μ‐O)₂Ni^III]²⁺ complex and the decay of the asymmetric Ni^III(μ‐O)₂Co^III]²⁺ core through aromatic hydroxylation reactions represent a new domain for high‐valent bis(μ‐oxido)dimetal reactivity.