Syntheses and catalytic oxotransfer activities of oxo molybdenum(vi) complexes of a new aminoalcohol phenolate ligand

The new aminoalcohol phenol 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(((2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)amino)methyl)phenol (H2L) was prepared by a facile solvent-free synthesis and used as a tridentate ligand for new cis-dioxomolybdenum(vi)(L) complexes. In the presence of a coordinating solvent (DMSO, MeOH, pyridine), the complexes crystallise as monomeric solvent adducts while in the absence of such molecules, a trimer with asymmetric Mo[double bond, length as m-dash]O→Mo bridges crystallises. The complexes can catalyse epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene and sulfoxidation of methyl-p-tolylsulfide, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant.