title: Establishing the mechanism of Rh-catalysed activation of O2 by H2.
abstract: Reductive activation of O(2) by H(2) with rhodium terpyridine complexes in H(2)O and CH(3)CN is described and the mechanism is fully elucidated. The rhodium complex extracts electrons from H(2) and reductively activates O(2) to form a peroxo active intermediate. This intermediate is able to oxidise triphenyl phosphine to triphenyl phosphine oxide. A model system constructed in CH(3)CN provides isolable analogues of catalytic intermediates in H(2)O, allowing a detailed look at each step in the catalytic cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inoki
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takashita
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogo