Thermodynamics of Cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes in various solvents

The electronic and steric effects of some Schiff bases and the solvent on the thermodynamic parameters of the pentacoordinate Co(III) Schiff base complexes were studied. The formation constants and the thermodynamic parameters were measured spectrophotometrically for 1:1 adduct formation of the complexes as acceptors with tributylphosphine (PBu₃) as donor, in some solvents (acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, butanol, ethanol and N,N-dimethylformamide) in constant ionic strength (I = 0.01 M, sodium perchlorate) and at various temperatures. The trend of the reactivity of the pentacoordinate cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes toward tributylphosphine according to the solvent is as follows: acetonitrile > tetrahydrofuran > butanol > ethanol > N,N-dimethylformamide. The trend of the reactivity of pentacoordinate cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes toward the donor in a given solvent according to the equatorial Schiff base is as follows: BBE > BAE > Salen.