Two Coordination Compounds Bearing Bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl) Ether: Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Catalytic Application to the Henry Reaction

Abstract

Two novel coordination compounds, namely [Cu2(BDMAEE)(CH3COO)4] n (1) and [Ni(BDMAEE)Cl2](2) [BDMAEE=bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether], have been synthesized and characterized by IR, elemental analysis, PXRD and X-ray single crystal diffraction. In compound 1, the central Cu(II) ion is coordinated with four oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom, forming a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The asymmetric units composed of one Cu(II) ion, two acetates and a half of BDMAEE are connected to form an infinite 1D chain structure by the bridging acetate and the BDMAEE. In compound 2, the central Ni(II) ion is coordinated with one oxygen atom, two chlorine anions and two nitrogen atoms, forming a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The compounds exhibited excellent catalytic properties in the Henry reaction of nitromethane with some aromatic aldehydes, and the optimized reaction conditions were obtained.