Mechanistic insights into the C-H bond activation of hydrocarbons by chromium(IV) oxo and chromium(III) superoxo complexes

The mechanism of the C-H bond activation of hydrocarbons by a nonheme chromium(IV) oxo complex bearing an N-methylated tetraazamacrocyclic cyclam (TMC) ligand, [Cr^IV(O)(TMC)(Cl)]⁺ (2), has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. In experimental studies, reaction rates of 2 with substrates having weak C-H bonds were found to depend on the concentration and bond dissociation energies of the substrates. A large kinetic isotope effect value of 60 was determined in the oxidation of dihydroanthracene (DHA) and deuterated DHA by 2. These results led us to propose that the C-H bond activation reaction occurs via a H-atom abstraction mechanism, in which H-atom abstraction of substrates by 2 is the rate-determining step. In addition, formation of a chromium(III) hydroxo complex, [Cr^III(OH)(TMC)(Cl)] ⁺ (3), was observed as a decomposed product of 2 in the C-H bond activation reaction. The Cr^IIIOH product was characterized unambiguously with various spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations support the experimental observations that the C-H bond activation by 2 does not occur via the conventional H-atom-abstraction/oxygen-rebound mechanism and that 3 is the product formed in this C-H bond activation reaction. DFT calculations also propose that 2 may have some Cr^IIIO^•- character. The oxidizing power of 2 was then compared with that of a chromium(III) superoxo complex bearing the identical TMC ligand, [Cr^III(O ₂)(TMC)(Cl)]⁺ (1), in the C-H bond activation reaction. By performing reactions of 1 and 2 with substrates under identical conditions, we were able to demonstrate that the reactivity of 2 is slightly greater than that of 1. DFT calculations again support this experimental observation, showing that the rate-limiting barrier for the reaction with 2 is slightly lower than that of 1.