Synthesis and Characterization of Novel μ-Carbonato Tetranuclear Copper Complexes [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] in Aprotic Media

In this work, novel oxidative coupling complexes, [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] (n = 1 or 2, X = Cl or Br, Pip = piperidine), are synthesized from the reaction of well characterized Lewis base [(Pip)4nCu4X4O2] with carbon dioxide as a Lewis acid in CH2Cl2. These carbonato-derivatives are isolated as stable solids. They are easily soluble in aprotic solvents as CH2Cl2or phNO2. Cryoscopic measurements support tetranuclear structure for all of them. Electronic spectra in the near infrared with high molecular absorptivity may be explained for tetranuclear cuban structure to fulfil 3 halo-ligands for each copper centre in [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2]. The EPR spectra for [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] complexes are axial type of spectra (dx2-y2 G.S) suggesting elongated tetragonal distortion for all of them. Cyclic voltammograms for [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] are irreversible in character. These tetranuclear carbonato complexes show catalytical activity. They initiate the oxidation of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) to 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethyl-4,4’-diphenoquinone (DPQ).

Kinetics of Oxidation of 2,6-Dimethylphenol (DMP) Using Novel μ-Carbonato [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] Complexes

This paper reports the kinetics of the oxidation of 2,6-dimethylphenol (DMP) to get 3,3’,5,5’-tetra- methyl-4,4’-diphenoquinone (DPQ) using novel oxidative coupling complexes [(Pip)4nCu4X4-(CO3)2] (n = 1 or 2, X = Cl or Br, Pip = piperidine). The new prepared tetranuclear complexes were characterized using cryoscopic measurements, electronic spectra, FTIR, EPR and cyclic voltammetry techniques. These complexes are catalytically active. The proposed mechanism of the catalytic oxidative coupling can be illustrated as a pre-equilibrium, K, between the catalyst and DMP to form a complex intermediate which is converted to activated complex through the rate determining step, k2, to form the final product. The inverse of the observed rate constants kobsd versus 1/[DMP]2 gives a straight line with intercept. From the slope and the intercept, both K and k2 are obtained. At different temperatures, thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are evaluated. It is worth to mention that, the dependence of kobsd on [DMP]2 indicates that the coordination number for every copper center in both n = 1 or 2 in [(Pip)4nCu4X4(CO3)2] is equal to six. Therefore, carbonato bridging centers in n = 1 acts as a tridentate ligand, while for n = 2 acts as a bidentate ligand.