HYDROCARBON OXIDATION WITH IODOSYLBENZENE CATALYZED BY THE STERICALLYHINDERED IRON(III) PHENYL)-10,15,20-TRIS(2,6-DICHLOROPHENYL)PORPHYRININ HOMOGENEOUS SOLUTION AND COVALENTLY BOUND TO SILICA

Iron(III) 5-(pentafluorophenyl)- 10,15,20-tris(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porp hyrin has been synthesised and used to catalyse hydrocarbon oxidation by iodosylbenzene. In homogeneous solution it is shown to be a stable and effective catalyst for alkene epoxidation and alkane hydroxylation with a selectivity and reactivity closer to iron(III) tetrakis(pentaf luorophenyl)porphyrin than to iron(III) tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)po rphyrin. The new sterically hindered iron porphyrin has also been cova lently bound, by nucleophilic aromatic substitution to aminopropylated silica. The resulting heterogenised catalyst is also stable towards o xidation but is less reactive than its homogeneous analogue.