Effect of Co-Ligands on the H₂O₂ Oxidation of 2-Phenylpropionaldehyde Catalyzed by Non-Heme Iron Catalysts as Biomimics

Abstract

In this study, the effect of various co-ligands on the reactivity of iron-based catalytic systems toward the oxidation of 2-phenylpropionaldehyde (PPA) was investigated. The oxidations were carried out in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as the terminal oxidant. The reactivity of the catalytic species was found to strongly depend on the electronic and steric properties of the applied co-ligands. By varying the co-ligand environment, significant changes were observed in both the reaction rate and product distribution, indicating that the coordination sphere around the iron center plays a key role in modulating the catalytic behavior. These findings highlight the importance of ligand effects in tuning the selectivity and efficiency of H₂O₂-driven oxidation reactions of aldehydes.