Synthesis, spectral, electrochemical and catalytic properties of Ru(III) Schiff base complexes containing N, O donors

A series of new hexa coordinated ruthenium(III) complexes of the type [RuY2(EPh3)2(X-DPMP)] (where Y = Br or Cl; E = P or As; DPMP = 2-[(2,6-Diisopropyl-phenylimino)-methyl]-phenol, X = H, Br, Cl, I and Ph) have been synthesized by equimolar [RuY3(EPh3)3] and the Schiff base ligands in benzene. The bidentate Schiff base ligands (X-DPMP) have been derived from condensation of 2,6-diisopropylaniline with mono and multisubstituted salicylaldehyde derivatives. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, UV–Vis., IR and EPR spectral and electrochemical measurements. All the ruthenium(III) complexes are found to be stable, paramagnetic, low spin, redox active and display either quasi reversible or irreversible redox couples based on metal centre. They have exhibited catalytic activity for the oxidation of wide range of primary and secondary alcohols to corresponding aldehydes or ketones with moderate to high conversion in the presence of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMO) as co-oxidant.