The preparation and electrochemistry of manganese(II) complexes of an unsaturated pentadentate macrocyclic ligand

The preparation of a series of six and seven coordinate manganese(II) complexes Mn^(II)(L)X]⁺, and Mn^(II)(L)X₂]^2? (X = halide, water, triphenylphosphine oxide, imidazole, 1-methyl imidazole and pyridine) incorporating the pentadentate planar macrocylic ligand L is described. Cyclic voltammetry of these complexes in acetonitrile each shows a reversible one-electron reduction wave near - 1.4 V vs a Ag/AgNO₃ reference electrode. Quantitative reduction of these complexes by controlled potential electrolysis at a platinum gauze at - 1.4 V yields the corresponding one-electron reduction products which have been shown by ESR spectroscopy to be manganese(II)-ligand radical species, the electron being thought to reside on the di-imino pyridine moiety of the macrocyclic ligand. No metal reduced species could be isolated even in the presence of π-acceptor ligands such as CO or phosphines.