PHOTOINDUCED OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS WITH COBALT(III)-ALKYLPEROXY COMPLEXES

A set of cobalt(III)-alkylperoxy complexes, [Co(BPI)(OAc)((OOBu)-Bu-t) ] (i), [Co(Me-BPI)(OAc)((OOBu)-Bu-t)] (2) and [Co(Cl-BPI)(OAc)((OOBu)- Bu-t)] (3) where BPI is 1,3-bis(2'-pyridylimino) isoindoline, promotes photooxidation of alkanes at room temperature. Irradiation causes hom olysis of the Co-O bond of the Co-O-O-Bu-t moieties in these complexes and produces (BuOO)-Bu-t radicals in the reaction mixture. Both (BuOO .)-Bu-t and (BuO.)-Bu-t (derived from (BuOO.)-Bu-t) are responsible fo r the oxidation of the C-H bonds. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.