Activation of chelated catecholatoiron species for catalytic oxygenation of catechols by catecholdioxygenase-model iron complexes

Reactivity of the isolated catecholatoiron complex with O2 and the spectroscopic observation of the reversible catecholate ligand exchange reveal that a stable chelated catecholate species may be activated to be reactive with O2 in the catalytic system.