Novel cobalt(II) complexes of amino acids–Schiff bases catalyzed aerobic oxidation of various alcohols to ketones and aldehyde

Two cobalt(II) complexes 1 and 2 of Schiff bases derived from amino acids were synthesized and used for oxidation of benzyl alcohol with molecular oxygen at different conditions of pH, solvent, temperature and complex/alcohol molar ratio to optimize reaction conditions and to evaluate the catalytic efficiency of new cobalt Schiff base complexes. Under obtained optimum conditions, various alcohols were oxidized to corresponding aldehydes and ketones.