Saturated hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide can be synergistically oxidised by oxygen (or air) to give efficiently ketones (and the corresponding alcohols) and sulfur in the presence of a Gif catalyst based on Fe II , picolinic acid and 4-tert-butylpyridine with acetonitrile as solvent at room temperature and nearly neutral pH.
The functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons utilizing the Gif oxidation system is considered to occur via an intermediate containing an FeC bond. Iodine and iodide ion have been found to capture efficiently the FeC bond to give the corresponding alkyl iodide in both the FeII-FeIV and FeIII-FeV manifolds. This trapping of the FeC bond in both manifolds is shown to be non-radical in nature.
