A pseudotetrahedral nickel(II) complex with a tridentate oxazoline-based scorpionate ligand: chlorido[tris(4,4-dimethyloxazolin-2-yl)phenylborato]nickel(II)

Development of a novel scorpionate ligand with 6-methylpyridine and comparison of structural and electronic properties of nickel(II) complexes with related tris(azolyl)borates

A novel anionic tridentate borate ligand with 6-methlpyridyl donor, TpyMe, has been synthesized. Comparison of molecular structures and reactivities of nickel(II)-bromido complexes with tris(azolyl)borate ligands composed of pyridyl, pyrazolyl, or...

Efficient alkane hydroxylation catalysis of nickel(ii) complexes with oxazoline donor containing tripodal tetradentate ligands

Tris(oxazolynylmethyl)amine TOA^R (where R denotes the substituent groups on the fourth position of the oxazoline rings) complexes of nickel(ii) have been synthesized as catalyst precursors for alkane oxidation with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA). The molecular structures of acetato, nitrato, meta-chlorobenzoato and chlorido complexes with TOA^Me2 have been determined using X-ray crystallography. The bulkiness of the substituent groups R affects the coordination environment of the nickel(ii) centers, as has been demonstrated by comparison of the molecular structures of chlorido complexes with TOA^Me2 and TOA^tBu. The nickel(ii)-acetato complex with TOA^Me2 is an efficient catalyst precursor compared with the tris(pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) analogue. Oxazolynyl donors' strong σ-electron donating ability will enhance the catalytic activity. Catalytic reaction rates and substrate oxidizing position selectivity are controlled by the structural properties of the R of TOA^R. Reaction of the acetato complex with TOA^Me2 and m-CPBA yields the corresponding acylperoxido species, which can be detected using spectroscopy. Kinetic studies of the decay process of the acylperoxido species suggest that the acylperoxido species is a precursor of an active species for alkane oxidation.

Cobalt(II) Complexes with N,N,N-Scorpionates and Bidentate Ligands: Comparison of Hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate Tp* vs. Phenyltris(4,4-dimethyloxazolin-2-yl)borate ToM to Control the Structural Properties and Reactivities of Cobalt Centers

Scorpionate ligands Tp* (hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate) and ToM (tris(4,4-dimethyloxazolin-2-yl)phenylborate) complexes of cobalt(II) with bidentate ligands were synthesized. Both Tp* and ToM coordinate to cobalt(II) in a tridentate fashion when the bidentate ligand is the less hindered acetylacetonate. In crystal structures, the geometry of cobalt(II) supported by the N₃O₂ donor set in the Tp* complex is a square-pyramid, whereas that in the ToM complex is close to a trigonal-bipyramid. Both Tp*- and ToM-acac complexes exhibit solvatochromic behavior, although the changing structural equilibria of these complexes in MeCN are quite different. In the bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)methylphenylborate (LPh) complexes, Tp* retains the tridentate (к³) mode, whereas ToM functions as the bidentate (к²) ligand, giving the tetrahedral cobalt(II) complex. The bowl-shaped cavity derived from the six methyl groups on ToM lead to susceptibility to the bulkiness of the opposite bidentate ligand. The entitled scorpionate compounds mediate hydrocarbon oxidation with organic peroxides. Allylic oxidation of cyclohexene occurs mainly on the reaction with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), although the catalytic efficiency of the scorpionate ligand complexes is lower than that of Co(OAc)₂ and Co(acac)₂. On cyclohexane oxidation with meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA), both ToM and Tp* complexes function as catalysts for hydroxylation. The higher electron-donating ToM complexes show faster initial reaction rates compared to the corresponding Tp* complexes.