OXIDATION OF OLEFINS CATALYZED BY IRON COMPLEXES OF BLEOMYCIN MODEL COMPOUNDS BEARING A HYDROPHOBIC OR HYDROPHILIC STERIC FACTOR

The bleomycin (BLM) model iron complexes bearing either a hydrophobic or hydrophilic steric factor around the sixth coordination sphere exhi bited considerable substrate specificity and stereoselectivity in the oxidation of cis-and trans-olefins in a methanol solution in the prese nce of H2O2. The catalytic efficiency of the complexes was somehow cor related with the nature of the steric factor rather than with their ox ygen-activating ability. In a benzene-phosphate buffer (micelle-formin g condition), on the other hand, only the complex having micelle-formi ng ability exhibited the epoxidation of the substrates.