Catalytic oxidation, utilizing hydrogen(2)oxygen(2) with a novel organometallic precatalyst in homogeneous systems

Six tetradentate Schiff base ligands were synthesized and used to prepare organically soluble molybdenum (VI) complexes capable of transferring an oxo ligand to organic substrates. The reduced forms (Mo(IV)) of two complexes were studied intensively in order to determine salient mechanistic features of catalytic Mo(IV);Six-coordinate Mo(VI)dioxo(Schiff Base) complexes were prepared and reduced to Mo(IV) upon addition of triphenylphosphine. Pyridine was added as a stabilizing ligand, and the resultant complexes, Mo(IV)oxo(pyr) (Schiff Base) were isolated and characterized. UV-VIS revealed a metal-to-ligand charge transfer band at 512-500 nm, and several processes were monitored by its disappearance.