Mononuclear Nonheme Iron(III)-Iodosylarene and High-Valent Iron-Oxo Complexes in Olefin Epoxidation Reactions

High-spin iron(III)-iodosylarene complexes are highly reactive in the epoxidation of olefins, in which epoxides are formed as the major products with high stereospecificity and enantioselectivity. The reactivity of the iron(III)-iodosylarene intermediates is much greater than that of the corresponding iron(IV)-oxo complex in these reactions. The iron(III)-iodosylarene species - not high-valent iron(IV)-oxo and iron(V)-oxo species - are also shown to be the active oxidants in catalytic olefin epoxidation reactions. The present results are discussed in light of the long-standing controversy on the one oxidant versus multiple oxidants hypothesis in oxidation reactions. On active duty: High-spin iron(III)-iodosylarene complexes epoxidize olefins with high stereospecificity and enantioselectivity. The iron(III)-iodosylarene species, not high-valent iron(IV)- and iron(V)-oxo species, are the active oxidants in catalytic olefin epoxidation reactions. The present results resolve the long-standing controversy on the one oxidant versus multiple oxidants hypothesis in oxidation reactions.