The reaction of cobalt halides with N-arylsalicylideneimines

Abstract

Cobalt chloride reacts with N-phenylsalicylideneimine in ethanol to form a green complex which is shown to be tris-[2-(N-phenylaminomethylene)cyclohexa-3,5-dien-1-one]cobalt(II) chloride. This green complex is also formed when bis-(N-phenylsalicylideneiminato)cobalt(II) reacts with two mol. of hydrogen chloride and one mol. of the ligand. On treatment with base the green complex is deprotonated and loses one molecule of the ligand to give bis-(N-phenylsalicylideneiminato)cobalt(II). A scheme for the formation of tris-[2-(N-phenylaminomethylene)cyclohexa-3,5-dien-1-one] cobalt(II) chloride is suggested and some intermediate complexes in this scheme are described. The Schiff's bases from o-, m-, and p-toluidine and o-anisidine give the appropriate bis-[2-(N-arylaminomethylene)cyclohexa-3,5-dien-1-one]cobalt(II) chloride rather than 3 : 1 complexes.