Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activity of Iron(II) and Nickel(II) Complexes Containing the Rigid Pentadentate Ligand PY5Me2.

The reactions of PY5Me2 with hydrated metal perchlorate salts [ MII(ClO4)2] in CH3CN afforded two isostructural compounds [ MII(PY5Me2)(CH3CN)](ClO4)2 in high yields [ M = Fe ( 1), Ni ( 2)]. The crystal structure of 2 was determined by X-ray crystallography. The catalytic activities of 1 and 2 towards the alcohol oxidation and C-H bond activation of organic substrates were studied. Initial experiments revealed that 1 was an active catalyst for the oxidative dehydrogenation and C-H bond activation of various substrates, whereas 2 was not. A FeIII species [FeIII(PY5Me2)(OH)]2+ was proposed as the active species for the catalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]