Mild oxidative alkane functionalization with peroxides in the presence of ferrocene

Ferrocene in an unexpected emploi: alkanes can be efficiently oxygenated by H2O2 in the presence of catalytic amounts of this well-known organometallic compound in combination with pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid or 2,2′-bipyridine. Saturated hydrocarbons, RH, are also transformed into carboxylic acids, RCOOH, when reacted with the ferrocene/CO/S2O82 −/H2O system in acetonitrile solution.

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► Combination H2O2/ferrocene/pyrazinic acid oxygenates alkanes.
► Turnover numbers were up to 1200.
► The ferrocene/CO/S2O82 −/H2O system transforms RH into RCOOH.
► The oxidation proceeds with the participation of free radicals.