Oxidation of the iron(III) octaethyloxophlorin dimer and observation of stepwise, two-electron oxidation of the oxophlorin macrocycle

Analyses of the oxidation of iron oxophlorin (meso-hydroxyporphyrin) complexes formed the basis to explore the basic chemical reactivity involved in the heme destruction which the heme oxygenase catalyzes. A pair of novel, extremely oxidized complexes, BrFeIII(OEPO.) and Br2FeIII(OEPOx), result from the reaction of iron(III) octaethyloxophlorin dimer (FeIII(OEPO))2 with molecular bromine. The ligand, and not the iron, experiences the oxidation.