A mononuclear cobalt(iii) complex and its catecholase activity†
Abstract
The structural analysis of a cobalt(III) complex [Co(HL)2](OAc)·H2O (1) [H2L = N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methoxysalicylaldimine] reveals a tridentate chelation behaviour of the ligand H2L having a distorted octahedral coordination environment around the cobalt(III) center with a CoN2O4 chromophore. 1 behaves as an effective catalyst towards the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol in different solvents, viz. dichloromethane (DCM), methanol (MeOH) and acetonitrile (MeCN) to its corresponding quinone derivative in aerial oxygen. The reaction follows Michaelis–Menten enzymatic reaction kinetics with turnover numbers (Kcat), 1.46 × 103, 1.21 × 103 and 2.16 × 103 h−1 in DCM, MeOH and MeCN, respectively.