Synthesis, characterization, EPR spectroscopy and catalytic activity of a new oxidovanadium(IV) complex with N2O2-donor ligand

Abstract

A new oxidovanadium(IV) complex, 2[VOL(OH2)] CH3OH (1), was synthesized from the reaction of VO(acac)2 with a symmetric N,O-donor Schiff base ligand (H2L), in which H2L is 6,6'-((1E,1′E)-((2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis(azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(2-methoxyphenol). The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure of complex was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis which indicated that the crystal packing of complex contains two independent mononuclear vanadium complexes connected together by several strong hydrogen bonding interactions. The EPR spectrum of powdered complex 1 at liquid helium temperature showed two intensive octets which proved to be associated with V4+ ions with 3d1 electronic configuration. From EPR spectrum the values of the parameters: g|| = 1.9454 ± 0.0004, g⊥ = 1.9491 ± 0.0004, A|| = 0.0084 ± 0.0008 cm−1 and A⊥ = 0.0033 ± 0.0006 cm−1 were calculated for this complex. Complex 1 was employed as catalyst for oxidation of cyclooctene in the presence of H2O2 as oxidant. In order to obtain the suitable condition of catalytic oxidation, the effect of various parameters including the amount of the catalyst, temperature and solvent was studied. The results of catalytic studies showed that complex 1 can provide an effective and selective catalytic system for epoxidation of cyclooctene.