Preparation and oxygenation of (flavonolato) copper isoindoline complexes with relevance to quercetin dioxygenase

Copper(I) and copper(II) flavonolate complexes with the tridentate ligand isoindoline were prepared, oxygenated to copper o-benzoylsalicylate complexes and carbon monoxide, and used as catalysts for the oxygenations of flavonol in reactions that mimic the quercetinase enzyme reaction. The crystal structures of a copper(II) flavonolate complex with indH and that of (O-benzoylsalicylato)copper(I) complex are reported.