Substituent effects on solvent-free epoxidation catalyzed by dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes supported by ONO Schiff base ligands

• Synthesis and characterization of substituted tridentate Schiff-base dioxomolybdenum complexes.
• These [MoO2L]2 complexes are active epoxidation catalysts.
• Analysis of the molecular structures.
• Electronic effect of donor and acceptor substituents on the catalytic activity.

Molybdenum complexes of type [MoO2L]n (L = tridentate ONO Schiff base ligands based on the salicylidene-2-aminophenolato structure) have been synthesized and used as catalysts for the solvent-free epoxidation of olefins. The effect of donor (diethylamino) and/or acceptor (nitro) substituents has been studied.

The effect of tridentate Schiff base donor and acceptor substituents on the catalytic activity of molybdenum complexes in solvent-free cyclooctene epoxidation has been observed experimentally and rationalized through DFT calculations.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide