Synthesis,structural characterization and catalytic activity study of Mn(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of quinoxaline-2-carboxalidine-2-amino-5-methylphenol: Crystal structure of the nickel(II) complex

Five new transition metal complexes MnL(OAc)]·H₂O (1), FeLCl₂] (2), NiL₂]·H₂O (3), CuLCl] (4) and ZnL₂]·2H₂O (5) have been synthesized using a tridentate Schiff base ligand, HL (quinoxaline-2-carboxalidine-2-amino-5-methylphenol) and the complexes have been characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques. The spectral analyses reveal an octahedral geometry for 3, square pyramidal structure for 2 and square planar structure for 4. Analytical and physicochemical data indicate tetrahedral structure for 1 and octahedral structure for 5. The crystallographic study reveals that NiL₂]·H₂O shows distorted octahedral geometry with a cis arrangement of N₄O₂ donor set of the bis Schiff base and exhibits a two-dimensional polymeric structure parallel to 0 1 0] plane. The complexes were screened for catalytic phenol hydroxylation reaction. Coordinatively unsaturated manganese(II), iron(III) and copper(II) complexes were found to be active catalysts. The poor catalytic activity of the nickel(II) complex is due to coordinatively saturated octahedral nature of the complex. Maximum conversion of phenol was observed for the copper(II) complex and the major product was catechol.