Binuclear copper(II) complexes of new bis(macrocyclic) 16-membered pentaaza subunits are linked together by bridging nitrogen of amine: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity

New bis(macrocyclic) dicopper(II) complexes containing phenylene bridges between 16-membered pentaaza macrocyclic subunits have been synthesized via one-pot template condensation of aromatic nitrogen-nitrogen linker, formaldehyde, 1,3-diaminopropane, copper(II) and 2,4-pentanedione in a 1:4:4:2:2 molar ratio results in the formation of new series of binuclear copper(II) complexes ({[Cu(Me2[16]aneN5)]2R}(ClO4)4 and {[Cu(Me2[16]aneN5)]2RCl4}). Elemental analyses, IR, UV-vis spectroscopy, conductometric and magnetic measurements have been used to characterize the new bis(macrocyclic) binuclear copper(II) complexes. These bis(macrocyclic) complexes catalyzed efficiently the selective oxidation of tetrahydrofuran into tetrahydrofuran-2-one and a small amount of tetrahydrofuran-2-ol and 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde using diluted H2O2 as the oxidant. 1,1′-Diphenylsulfonbis(8,10-dimethyl-1,3,7,11,15-pentaazacyclohexadeca-7,11-diene)copper(II) perchlorate shows significantly higher catalytic activity than other bis(macrocycle) binuclear copper(II) complexes.