Synthesis and complexing properties of phosphoryl-substituted salicylaldimines

Abstract

Starting from meta and ortho isomers of (diphenylphosphorylmethyl)anilines 2a,b, procedures were developed for the synthesis of new phosphoryl-substituted Schiff bases 3a,b serving as tridentate ligands. In alcoholic solutions, ligands 3a,b form complexes of different composition with praseodymium and neodymium nitrates. Only the M(L)2(NO3)3 complexes crystallized from solution regardless of the reactant ratio. According to the X-ray diffraction study and IR spectroscopy, one of the ligands in the complexes with ortho ligand 3b is coordinated in a bidentate fashion via the oxygen atom of the P=O group and the phenoxy oxygen atom, whereas the second ligand molecule forms a coordination bond with metal only via the phosphoryl oxygen atom. In the Pr(3a)2(NO3)3 complexes, both meta ligands 3a are involved in thebidentate O,O-coordination.