Activation parameters for cyclohexene oxygenation by an oxoiron(IV) porphyrin pi-cation radical complex: entropy control of an allylic hydroxylation reaction.

Activation parameters for epoxidation and allylic hydroxylation reactions of cyclohexene with FeIVO(TMP)*+Cl (1) were determined. Within the experimental temperature range, the epoxidation reaction was enthalpy-controlled (i.e., DeltaH > -TDeltaS), while the allylic hydroxylation reaction was entropy-controlled (i.e., -TDeltaS > DeltaH). An unexpectedly large contribution of the entropy term for the allylic hydroxylation reaction indicated that the free energy of activation, DeltaG, rather than the activation energy, Ea, should be used to discuss the reaction mechanism and chemoselectivity. The results of this study bring caution to previous density functional theory studies, in which the reaction mechanism and chemoselectivity are evaluated from calculated Ea.