Aromatic hydroxylation by molecular oxygen performed by mononuclear benzoato iron(II) complexes and preparation of new iron(III) complex with two minus ligand

We demonstrate a novel hydroxylation reaction of iron(II) benzoato complexes (2a-2c) with molecular oxygen without any reducing agents to yield hydroxylated complexes (3a-3c). This coordinate benzoate ion can be removed to make a novel iron(III) complex (4), whose ligand has two minus charge.