Iron complexes of tetramine ligands catalyse allylic hydroxyamination via a nitroso–ene mechanism

Iron(II) complexes of the tetradentate amines tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) and N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N,N′-dimethylethane-1,2-diamine (BPMEN) are established catalysts of C–O bond formation, oxidising hydrocarbon substrates via hydroxylation, epoxidation and dihydroxylation pathways. Herein we report the capacity of these catalysts to promote C–N bond formation, via allylic amination of alkenes. The combination of N-Boc-hydroxylamine with either FeTPA (1 mol %) or FeBPMEN (10 mol %) converts cyclohexene to the allylic hydroxylamine (tert-butyl cyclohex-2-en-1-yl(hydroxy)carbamate) in moderate yields. Spectroscopic studies and trapping experiments suggest the reaction proceeds via a nitroso–ene mechanism, with involvement of a free N-Boc-nitroso intermediate. Asymmetric induction is not observed using the chiral tetramine ligand (+)-(2R,2′R)-1,1′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-2,2′-bipyrrolidine ((R,R′)-PDP).