Single end to end azido bridged adduct of a tridentate schiff base copper(II) complex: Synthesis, structure, magnetism and catalytic studies

•Azido bridged copper(II) complex was synthesized and characterized.•The complex shows antiferromagnetism.•The complex exhibits good catalytic activity in the oxidation of olefins.•Catalytic activity depends upon solvent media.•Catalytic efficacy is due to copper complex rather than copper salt itself.

Copper(II) azido complex [CuL(μ-1,3-N3)]n (1) of a NNO donor tridentate Schiff base (HL = 2-[1-(methylamino-ethylimino)-methyl]-phenol containing single end-to-end μ-1,3-azido bridged 1D infinite chain has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy. X-ray single crystal structure analysis reveals that in 1, the central copper(II) ion displays a distorted square pyramidal coordination geometry and are linked by single EE azide bridges forming chains running parallel to the crystallographic b axis. The magnetic interaction revealed that 1 is antiferromagnetic in nature (J = −19.5 (±0.2) cm−1). The catalytic activity of the complex is investigated in a series of solvents for the oxidation of olefins using tert-butyl-hydroperoxide as oxidant. The results showed highest selectivity for 1 in acetonitrile medium.

Graphical abstractSingle end to end azido bridged 1D chain copper(II) complex with tridentate (NNO donor) Schiff-base ligand has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray Crystallography. The magnetic study revealed that the complex is antiferromagnetic in nature. Olefin epoxidation reactions catalyzed by the complex, in different solvent media, have been studied by using tert-BuOOH as oxidant.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide