Synthesis, characterization and base hydrolysis of cobalt(III) complexes coordinated by substituted phenylthioether ligands

Abstract

A synthetic route to the preparation of cobalt(III) complexes coordinated by bidentate phenylthioether ligands is described. Complexes of the type ((2-(X-phenylthio)ethylamine)-N,S)bis(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) perchlorate, [(en)2Co(S(X-phenyl)CH2CH2NH2)](ClO4)3, where X = 4-methoxy (2a), 4-methyl (2b), 3-methyl (2c), nothing (2d), 3-methoxy (2e), 4-bromo (2f) and 3-bromo (2g) were prepared. The synthetic route involves reaction of trans-dichloridobis(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) chloride with NH2CH2CH2SC6H4X to produce cis-[(en)2CoCl(NH2CH2CH2SC6H4X)]Cl2 (1a–g). Formation of the Co–S bond, completing the ring closure, is then accomplished by removing the coordinated chlorido by addition of AgClO4 in sulfolane. Complexes were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. In addition, the solid-state structure (X-ray) of the monohydrate of 2d confirms the coordination mode of the ligand. Preliminary kinetic investigations in basic solution show that the Co–S bond is broken resulting in the formation of [(en)2Co(OH)(NH2CH2CH2SC6H4X)]2+. At 15.0°C, a Hammett Plot is linear (r2 = 0.981) with ρ = 2.24 ± 0.13.