Copper(ii) induced oxidative modification and complexation of a schiff base ligand: synthesis, crystal structure, catalytic oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons and DFT calculation†
Abstract
A mononuclear square planar complex [CuII(Lf)] (1) was synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Though we have started with the Schiff base H2La with two –CH2OH groups for complexation with Cu2+, the final product appears to have two formyl groups where two carbinols were oxidized during the course of the reaction with Cu2+. It opens up the possibility of using this complex as a precursor for condensation with suitable amines to give symmetric/asymmetric cyclic/acyclic Schiff base complexes. Systematic studies on catalytic oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons like toluene and xylenes by an environmentally benign oxidant, H2O2 in the presence of 1 as a catalyst reveals that it is an efficient catalyst leading to the formation of the corresponding alcohol as the major product with TON ∼300 and alcohol selectivity of ∼72%.
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