On the oxidation state of iron in iron-mediated C–C couplings

•A long-standing controversy on the nature of the active catalyst in iron-mediated couplings is resolved.•Iron salts are rapidly reduced to Fe(I) by aryl Grignard reagent, but no further.•The active catalyst in iron-catalyzed C–C-couplings is identified as an Fe(I) complex, with an intermediate spin-state (S = 3/2).

The nature of the active catalyst in iron-catalyzed C–C couplings has been under debate. In here, we study the couplings with aryl Grignard reagents, and clearly show that the active catalyst is an Fe(I) species. The Grignard alone can reduce the pre-catalyst to the Fe(I) state, and no further, as shown by quantification of product formation. Addition of the electrophile results in complete cross-coupling, validating the nature of the active catalyst. A computational study reveals that the active iron catalyst has a spin state of S = 3/2, high spin for Fe(I) but intermediate spin for Fe(III) complexes, even though the Fe(III) precatalyst salts have a high spin state (S = 5/2). The spin change occurs after the first transmetallation, when the strong ligand field of the aryl group raises the energy of one d-orbital, inducing an electron pairing event. All steps in the formation of an active cross-coupling catalyst are facile and strongly exergonic.

Graphical abstractAryl Grignard reagents reduce iron halides to Fe(I) complexes, active catalysts in cross couplings.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide