4-Nitrocatecholato iron(III) complexes of 2-aminomethyl pyridine-based bis(phenol) amine as structural models for catechol-bound 3,4-PCD

•We have synthesized catecholatoto iron(III) complexes of pyridine-based aminophenol ligands.•Complexes displayed paramagnetic properties.•Complexes are good structural models of catechol-enzyme adduct.•Electrochemical redox of these complexes was investigated.

Two nitrocatecholato(HNC) iron(III) complexes, [FeLAMPX(H-NC)]. NEt3, of the tetradendate ligand (2-aminomethylpyridine)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (H2LAMPX) were synthesized and structurally characterized. These structural models for catechol-bound 3,4-PCD were characterized by IR, UV–vis, elemental analysis and magnetic measurements. X-ray crystallography studies revealed that in both complexes the iron(III) centers are distorted octahedral and coordinated by two phenolate oxygen's, two amine nitrogen's of the ligand and mono anionic nitrocatecholate group (HNC). The variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies revealed paramagnetic properties of the reported complexes. The effective magnetic moments for the complexes lie between 5.3 and 5.4 BM correspond to the reported values for high spin Fe(III) center. The ligand-centered oxidation and metal-centered reduction of complexes was studies using cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique.

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