S=2 oxoiron(IV) species act as reactive intermediates in the catalytic cycle of nonheme iron oxygenases. The few available synthetic S=2 Fe-IV=O complexes known to date are often limited to trigonal bipyramidal and very rarely to octahedral geometries. Herein we describe the generation and characterization of an S=2 pseudotetrahedral Fe-IV=O complex 2 supported by the sterically demanding 1,4,7-tri-tert-butyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane ligand. Complex 2 is a very potent oxidant in hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) reactions with large non-classical deuterium kinetic isotope effects, suggesting hydrogen tunneling contributions. For sterically encumbered substrates, direct HAA is impeded and an alternative oxidative asynchronous proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism prevails, which is unique within the nonheme oxoiron community. The high reactivity and the similar spectroscopic parameters make 2 one of the best electronic and functional models for a biological oxoiron(IV) intermediate of taurine dioxygenase (TauD-J).
