Evidence that steric factors modulate reactivity of tautomeric iron–oxo species in stereospecific alkane C–H hydroxylation

A new iron complex mediates stereospecific hydroxylation of alkyl C–H bonds with hydrogen peroxide, exhibiting excellent efficiency. Isotope labelling studies provide evidence that the relative reactivity of tautomerically related oxo–iron species responsible for the C–H hydroxylation reaction is dominated by steric factors.