Abstract

The oxidation of 1-hexene by molecular oxygen catalyzed by iridium(III) complexes, [Ir(CH3CN)5-xClx(NO2)]2-x (x = 0, 1, or 2) has been studied in acetonitrile under P(O2) = 1.5 atm and T = 100°C. [Ir(CH3CN)5(NO2)](PF6)2 oxidizes 1-hexene to 1,2-epoxyhexane. Complex [Ir(CH3CN)4Cl(NO2)]PF6 oxidizes 1-hexene to 2,3-epoxyhexane only in the presence of [Pd(PhCN)2(Cl)2] (an olefin activator). In contrast to the cationic complexes, the neutral complex [Ir(CH3CN)4Cl2(NO2)] oxidizes 1-hexene to 2-hexanone only in the presence of [Pd(PhCN)2(Cl)2]. © Akadémiai Kiadó, All rights reserved.