Fe-based Complexes as Styrene Aziridination Catalysts: Ligand Substitution Tunes Catalyst Activity

As part of our effort to improve our understanding of aziridination mechanism, we used tetra substitution of a diphenol ligand to modify the redox properties of corresponding Fe complexes. This allowed us to confirm that aziridination catalysis by Fe-based complexes is governed by electron affinity of the active species and further show that it correlates with the Fe-III/Fe-II redox potential.