cis-Oxoruthenium complexes supported by chiral tetradentate amine (N4) ligands for hydrocarbon oxidations.

We report the first examples of ruthenium complexes cis-[(N4)RuIIICl2]+ and cis-[(N4)RuII(OH2)2]2+ supported by chiral tetradentate amine ligands (N4), together with a high-valent cis-dioxo complex cis-[(N4)RuVI(O)2]2+ supported by the chiral N4 ligand mcp (mcp = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine). The X-ray crystal structures of cis-[(mcp)RuIIICl2](ClO4) (1a), cis-[(Me2mcp)RuIIICl2]ClO4 (2a) and cis-[(pdp)RuIIICl2](ClO4) (3a) (Me2mcp = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis((6-methylpyridin-2-yl)methyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine, pdp = 1,1'-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyrrolidine)) show that the ligands coordinate to the ruthenium centre in a cis-α configuration. In aqueous solutions, proton-coupled electron-transfer redox couples were observed for cis-[(mcp)RuIII(O2CCF3)2]ClO4 (1b) and cis-[(pdp)RuIII(O3SCF3)2]CF3SO3 (3c'). Electrochemical analyses showed that the chemically/electrochemically generated cis-[(mcp)RuVI(O)2]2+ and cis-[(pdp)RuVI(O)2]2+ complexes are strong oxidants with E° = 1.11-1.13 V vs. SCE (at pH 1) and strong H-atom abstractors with DO-H = 90.1-90.8 kcal mol-1. The reaction of 1b or its (R,R)-mcp counterpart with excess (NH4)2[CeIV(NO3)6] (CAN) in aqueous medium afforded cis-[(mcp)RuVI(O)2](ClO4)2 (1e) or cis-[((R,R)-mcp)RuVI(O)2](ClO4)2 (1e*), respectively, a strong oxidant with E(RuVI/V) = 0.78 V (vs. Ag/AgNO3) in acetonitrile solution. Complex 1e oxidized various hydrocarbons, including cyclohexane, in acetonitrile at room temperature, affording alcohols and/or ketones in up to 66% yield. Stoichiometric oxidations of alkenes by 1e or 1e* in t BuOH/H2O (5 : 1 v/v) afforded diols and aldehydes in combined yields of up to 98%, with moderate enantioselectivity obtained for the reaction using 1e*. The cis-[(pdp)RuII(OH2)2]2+ (3c)-catalysed oxidation of saturated C-H bonds, including those of ethane and propane, with CAN as terminal oxidant was also demonstrated.