Iron complexes with nitrogen bidentate ligands as green catalysts foralcohol oxidation

The iron(II) complexes [Fe(N-N)3](OTf)2(N-N = 2,2- bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline and substitutedderivatives) were employed as catalyst precursors for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols,including glycerol. The single-crystal structure of [Fe(bipy)3](OTf)2was determined by X-ray crystallog-raphy.The catalytic reactions were performed using either H2O2or tert-butilhydroperoxide (TBHP) asoxidating agent, in mild experimental conditions: with all catalysts employed, secondary alcohols wereoxidized to the corresponding ketones with up to 100% yields, whereas other substrates gave lowerconversions. Indications on the nature of the catalytically active species, which is probably formed viadissociation of a nitrogen ligand from the iron center, were obtained from NMR and ESI–MS spectra.