β-Tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin: A conformational study and application to the Mn-porphyrin catalyzed epoxidation of olefins with tetrabutylammonium oxone

X-ray crystallographic studies have shown that the free base β-tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPPBr4) has a slightly ruffled structure with the dihedral angles of 70.1–79.2° between the phenyl groups and the porphyrin mean plane. The N(pyrrole)–N(pyrrolenine) distance is very similar to that of the standard planar porphyrins. The decreased N–H bond length of H2TPPBr4 with respect to that of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPP) seems to be due to the weaker intramolecular hydrogen bond of the former relative to the latter caused by the electron-withdrawing effects of the β-bromine substituents. The large red shifts of the Soret and Q(0,0) bands of H2TPPBr4 in comparison with those of H2TPP, in spite of the nearly planar porphyrin core of the compound, also may be explained on the basis of the electron-withdrawing effects of the bromine atoms. Oxidation of styrene, the para-substituted derivatives and cyclooctene with tetrabutylammonium oxone in the presence of catalytic amounts of β-tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrinatomanganese(III) acetate immediately gives the epoxide as the sole product. Terminal double bonds and unconjugated ones are less reactive than the conjugated double bonds and show lower selectivities. Catalytic activity of the electron-deficient Mn(H2TPPBr4)OAc dramatically depends on the Co-catalytic activity of the nitrogen donors as the axial base. The best axial bases are the nitrogenous donors with mixed σ- and π-donor ability to the metal centre.

In spite of the nearly planar structure of H2TPPBr4, the Soret and Q(0,0) bands of β-tetra-brominated porphyrin are significantly red shifted with respect to those of H2TPP which is probably due to the electron-withdrawing effects of the substituents. Mn(TPPBr4)OAc is an efficient catalyst for the selective epoxidation of conjugated double bonds with tetrabutylammonium oxone.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide